Full-Time: Melbourne City 1-0 Melbourne Victory
What is it about derbies, eh? Melbourne Victory had the chance to move to the top of the ladder and extend their unbeaten run to 11, but their less-fancied cross-town rivals spoiled the party to record their second straight win.
Not what the script read, but City were the better team and fully deserved their win.
I’m out. Thanks for keeping me company.
90 min + 1: Mooy collects a yellow deep inside the City half, but Finkler effort with the dead ball is uninspiring.
GOAL! Melbourne City 1-0 Melbourne Victory
City make good from the resultant corner, which is first nullified by Victory, but on its way back in finds Paartalu, who nods home in a crowded box to finally reward City for their good work. Cruel for Victory so late in the game but it was probably coming.
90 min: City get perhaps their best chance to grab all three points as Dugandzic’s cross finds Mooy, who fires from the edge of the box ... and hits the cross bar with his shot. The ball falls to Brown, whose shot is deflected away by a desperate Victory backline.
88 min: Koren is released by a wicked backheel but he can do no more than force a corner with his shot. Victory survive. City make their third and last change, with Williams making way for Mauk.
87 min: Victory force a corner, but Kisnorbo is a rock at the back for City and the threat is defused.
84 min: Finkler earns a free kick for Victory after being brought down by Paartalu directly in front, 20 metres out. His shot is on target but it lacks sting and is easily collected.
82 min: Everywhere man Ben Khalfallah is subbed off, presumably so he can go and have a ruddy good sleep. Pain is his replacement ... and his emotion after having his goal ruled offside.
Updated
80 min: We enter the last 10 minutes of the game. Finkler dishes out a venomous cross to the head of Berisha; the Victory man is well marked and his shot is off target. Good signs for Victory late in the game.
78 min: Another goalmouth scramble sees City goes very close, but Coe is equal to the task and he keeps Victory on level pegging.
76 min: Williams finds space on the right for City, forcing a corner with his attempted cross. Kisnorbo rises with a clear chance, bit his header passes just over the crossbar.
74 min: Ben Khalfallah slots it home from close range after a goalmouth scramble, but City live to fight another day after the linesman rules he is offside. Hmmm. Close.
70 min: Both teams go for their second substitution of the night: Valeri off for the Victory, Mahazi on; Ramsay gets a tap on the shoulder for City, with James Brown (who clearly isn’t dead) coming on.
67 min: Ben Khalfallah’s cross cannons off the crossbar and keeps it alive for Victory ... Ramsay then has a pop at the linesman after a contested ball goes out of bounds, and he too gets a yellow for his troubles.
64 min: Williams unleashes a wicked left-foot shot from range; it takes a deflection and City get the corner. Again, nothing doing.
Updated
63 min: A series of half-chances go begging for the Victory, with Berisha and Ben Khalfallah the main culprits. Still, they earn a corner ... which goes begging.
61 min: Substitution time. Melling does come off for City; Koren comes on. Victory also make a change, with Thompson making way for Finkler.
57 min: Melling involved again with what seems a trip, but the ref shows clemency and only grants a free kick. Melling needs to be careful.
55 min: It’s on for young and old as Broxham goes down after an apparent elbow from Melling. Plenty of players get involved in what is close to a melee, but the ref intervenes and ... shows Melling a yellow for his challenge ... and Ben Khalfallah also getting a yellow for sticking his nose in where it’s not wanted. If the ref saw it, how does Mellling only get a yellow?
53 min: Mooy releases Williams with a long ball ... Paartalu is the one given the chance from just outside the box. His low shot is well kept by Coe. City might have done better there.
50 min: Murnane is very clumsy on Williams, giving away a free kick deep in the Victory half. City can’t do anything meaningful with the opportunity ... story of the night.
46 min: And we’re back. Despite City’s dominance, the betting exchanges have Victory and the draw shortening ... but City lengthening. They are known for leaking goals in the second half this year.
Half-Time: Melbourne City 0-0 Melbourne Victory
A predictably absorbing half of football from these rivals; City have dominated possession save for a period or two or retort from Victory. But the teams are on level pegging at the break. Time will tell if City will rue not capitalising on their superiority.
Updated
45 min + 1: Berisha has a really good chance from inside a crowded box in injury time, but his shot on target is saved by the keeper.
42 min: Williams bests Ansell in a one-on-one in the Victory half but Ben Khalfallah does the mopping up for Victory. He’s having a blinder.
39 min: Brilliant, incisive play from Garrucio opens Ramsay on goal, but his gilt-edged chance goes begging. In a half where City have had opportunities, that was probably the best. For City’s general dominance, it’s still 0-0.
36 min: Melling is released directly in front for City, about 20 metres out, bit his shot lacks penetration and is easily collected by Coe.
34 min: Victory’s Geria and City’s Garrucio collide mid-pitch; hard to say who was at fault, if anyone, but the ref finds in favour of City and Geria cops a yellow card.
32 min: Momentum now with Victory, Ben Khalfallah’s corner is threatening enough but City live to fight another day. Ben Khalfallah - that man again - then delivers a beautiful volleyed cross with Berisha fluffs before Thompson pounces and almost scores, his shot flying over the crossbar.
29 min: Another free for Victory as Ben Khalfallah’s fancy footwork troubles the City defence. This free is from the same distance, slightly to the left, and his looped effort is snaffled by the keeper.
Updated
26 min: Ben Khalfallah is chopped down by City’s Hoffman 25-ish metres in front of goal, earning the first yellow card of the game. Ben Khalfallah’s low shot through the wall is deflected by a City player and well saved by Velaphi.
Updated
23 min: Ben Khalfallah beats a couple of defenders and advances on goal, but polish lets him down. At the other end, Mooy has another chance to make an impact for City but is held at bay by the keeper.
And here’s Dugandzic falling over ... not that we’re laughing at him.
21 min: Dugandzic is released on the right and finds himself in a good spot, but, and it must be said these things happen, he falls over. Well, he is human.
18 min: Another menacing move from City finds Ramsay in space on the left, but his volley from close range can’t find the target. It’s all City at the moment.
16 min: Thompson steps on the gas from halfway but his threatening move is stifled by two City defenders, the challenge leaving him on the deck for a few moments. He themn gets up and seems to be OK.
14 min: A rare attacking move by the Victory is easily repelled by the City defence. Berisha is then fouled by Kisnorbo. Ben Khalfallah’s shot from some distance is venomous and forces a save from the keeper, if it was ever going in.
11 min: Paartalu has a pop from range, but after good lead-up play his strike is way off target.
9 min: Great intent from City forces the first corner of the match, but Mooy again does little with the dead ball.
7 min: Ben Khalfallah brings Williams down from behind with what looks a crude challenge and concedes a free kick, but replays show he got the ball first. Mooy takes the free again from a little further out this time and is ineffectual with his delivery.
4 min: A really bright start from City; most play in the early exchanges in the Victory half. But the Victory defence is well structured and attacks for now are repelled.
2 min: Free kick for City about five metres outside the box; it’s a dangerous position but Mooy can do no more that pelt the ball into the Victory wall.
1 min: The whistle blows for the 14th encounter between these two sides. Ramsay and Williams in for City; Victory go 4-3-3 with Finkler on the bench.
Updated
Preamble
How do you beat Melbourne Victory? It’s a question no team has been able to answer this A-League campaign. Ten games without defeat marks the Victory’s best run since inception. Its rather weird to think they’re not on top of the ladder. Sydney FC gave Kevin Muscat’s men a good old shake last week but could do no better than draw. The Victory have been bolstered by the return of Gui Finkler and frankly should wallop their cross-town rivals, who have beaten big brother just once in their past six meetings and need to step up on what they’ve shown this year, languishing in seventh place as they are.
But enough fro me. What do you think? Are the Victory over the line or can City cause a massive upset?
