Melbourne Victory played out an entertaining 2-2 draw with Sydney FC in the Isuzu UTE A-League on Saturday night.
It ended honours even in the Big Blue despite Arthur Diles’ team scoring in either half of the Round 20 clash at Allianz Stadium.
Juan Mata’s delicious 34th-minute free kick opened the scoring, and Charles Nduka fired in within 60 seconds of his introduction during the second 45.
However, Sydney lifted themselves off the canvas, netting twice in three minutes through Apostolos Stamatelopoulos and Ahmet Arslan to split the points.
Team News
The Head Coach made three changes from the team that started last week’s Original Rivalry. Xavier Stella came into the midfield, meaning Denis Genreau, a late addition to the match-day squad, was among the substitutes following his early withdrawal versus Adelaide United. Santos came in from the start, as Jason Davidson, who did not travel to Sydney, remained in Melbourne for personal leave. The third switch was a straight swap, with Nikos Vergos in for Charles Nduka up front.
Match Action
It was the visitors who had the game’s first sight of goal, and it was a pretty inviting one. After a neat interchange involving Stella, Mata and Nishan Velupillay, it was the right-sided defender in a back three, Joshua Rawlins, who advanced into the penalty area and scuffed a left-footed shot wide.
Similarly intricate offensive play at the other end saw Jack Warshawsky called into action. Arslan smuggled his way into a dangerous position, with it taking a superb low save to keep out the German-born Turkish attacker’s effort.
Boosted by these early opportunities, both teams continued to probe, but it was not until midway through the first half that another genuine chance materialised. Keegan Jelacic stroked the ball into the path of Santos, in from the flank, with the Brazilian’s attempt keeping Harrison Devenish-Meares honest.
Victory were really beginning to tick in the final third, and whether luck or judgement, it took a critical block from Alexandar Popovic to keep out Vergos at close quarters. The Greek striker would then have an edge-of-the-area dig deflected behind ahead of Velupillay forcing Devenish-Meares into another save.
Sydney’s threat had been reduced to corners, and although struck with purpose, nobody was able to meet Arslan’s deliveries.
From set-piece promise to deadball mastery. As soon as Velupillay was felled a few yards outside the area, Mata assumed responsibility, curling a free kick that had Devenish-Meares diving helplessly in off the post.
If the woodwork had given Victory a minor assist for the goal, it was on their side as the half closed with the Sky Blues going close to levelling. Arslan whipped an inswinger, and Popovic’s header crashed flush off the crossbar before an acrobatic Santos legally hooked the ball away despite Sydney’s penalty appeals for a high boot.
Half-time: Sydney FC 0-1 Melbourne Victory
Victory were again setting the agenda, and Vergos had two attempts blocked in quick succession as they hunted a second.
The Sky Blues responded with their own attacking endeavour through Paul Okon-Engstler, but his sneaky near-post prod was turned around the post by a sharp Warshawsky intervention.
He was equally as alert when Ben Garuccio flighted a teasing free kick down the corridor of uncertainty, with the ‘keeper leaping right to paw the ball away.
And as the contest became increasingly stretched, as a Stella shot was saved from which Sydney launched a move upfield, Warshawsky made it a hat-trick of second-half stops, keeping out Campuzano when the goal was at his mercy.
Recognising the need to restore some control, Diles turned to his bench, and his changes were a masterstroke. Matthew Grimaldi was heavily involved down the left, and when Jordi Valadon pulled the ball back, fellow substitute Nduka applied a touch and finish with his first involvement.
Unfortunately, the two-goal advantage lasted just five minutes. Stamatelopoulos’ well-placed header to meet Garuccio’s cross not only halved the deficit but caused an almighty shift in momentum.
Fresh from the bench, Al Hassan Toure burst down the flank, and his centre put it on a plate for Arslan to convert an equaliser into an open net.
As Sydney pushed for an unlikely winner, it was again Warshawsky foiling them, denying Stamatelopoulos with another strong hand.
Match Details
Sydney FC 2 (STAMATELOPOULOS 73′, ARSLAN 75′)
Melbourne Victory 2 (MATA 34′, NDUKA 69′)
Sydney FC starting XI: 12. Harrison DEVENISH-MEARES (GK), 5. Alex GRANT, 7. Piero QUISPE, 9. Victor CAMPUZANO (11. Abel WALATEE 90+1′), 17. Benjamin GARUCCIO, 20. Tiago QUINTAL (35. Al Hassan TOURE 70′), 23. Rhyan GRANT (C), 24. Paul OKON-ENGSTLER, 41. Alexandar POPOVIC, 70. Ahmet ARSLAN, 80. Apostolos STAMATELOPOULOS (22. Mathias MACALLISTER 90+1′).
Substitutes not used: 30. Alexander ZAVERDINOS (GK), 29. Joseph LACEY, 32. Marcel TISSERAND, 36. Rhys YOULLEY.
Booking: R. GRANT 44′, CAMPUZANO 56′.
Melbourne Victory starting XI: 40. Jack WARSHAWSKY (GK), 21. Roderick MIRANDA (C) (16. Joshua INSERRA 85′), 15. Sebastian ESPOSITO, 22. Joshua RAWLINS, 11. SANTOS, 8. Jordi VALADON, 34. Xavier STELLA (10. Denis GENREAU 83′), 17. Nishan VELUPILLAY (14. Matthew GRIMALDI 68′), 64. Juan MATA, 23. Keegan JELACIC (7. Reno PISCOPO 83′), 9. Nikolaos VERGOS (44. Charles NDUKA 68′).
Substitutes not used: 25. Jack DUNCAN (GK), 19. Jing REEC.
Booking: RAWLINS 15′, MATA 57′.
Coming soon
The trip to New South Wales is followed by two home matches before the Men’s FIFA international window, starting with Victory hosting Macarthur FC at AAMI Park, as the Club and LifeChanger Foundation unite for the Stand Together round.
