Controversial draw hits Roar nerve for Victory

11,800 fans are still catching their breath after watching a stunning, albeit controversial, 3-3 draw between Melbourne Victory and Brisbane Roar at AAMI Park on Friday night.

As if Australian football fans had not endured enough controversy after Sepp Blatter announced the World Cup hosting rights last night, the Victory fans will feel their team was robbed after witnessing a 93rd minute equaliser from Matt McKay that should have been disallowed.

In the final seconds of the match, both referee and linesman failed to spot Roar custodian, Michael Theoklitos, clearly handle the ball outside his box before providing the pass that sent McKay on goal to score and send a dagger through the hearts of all involved with the Melbourne club.

The Victory defied all odds to come close to taking all three points, scoring all of their goals in a frenetic second period after being down 2-0 at half time courtesy of an own goal from Matthew Kemp and a poacher’s finish from Jean Carlos Solorzano that had the Roar side cruising.

A brace from Robbie Kruse and a well taken header from Archie Thompson nearly completed an astonishing fight back from the Victory before McKay levelled for the Roar in the final minute.

In a cracking match that had it all, it was the Victory who came out all guns blazing early in the first half, making use of the Roar’s cheap turnovers as they created several good chances in front of goal, though again failed to score.

Kemp got the scoring underway in the 30th minute, albeit for the wrong side, when he put a wicked cross from Thomas Broich in the back of his own net after failing to recover from a poor defensive position.

Solarzano continued his red hot form scoring the Roar’s second in the 45th minute with an opportunist strike, though there are question marks over whether Michael Petkovic could have done more to deny the Roar striker.

Robbie Kruse produced a tremendous strike to give Melbourne a lifeline in the 61st minute when he curled a dipping shot into the top right corner of the net.

Thompson drew his side level against the Roar when he scored a header in the 70th minute after Marvin Angulo flicked the ball on from a corner.

Kruse gave the Victory the lead in the 76th minute with a fortuitous striker's finish after Theoklitos could only parry a vicious low drive from a Carlos Hernandez free kick that snuck under McKay in the Roar wall.

McKay saved the Roar’s blushes when he got on the end of a controversial ball from Theoklitos to slot home into an open net for the equaliser after luckily collecting a rebound off Petkovic.

A special mention must go to Reinaldo who all but confirmed his status as a donkey striker when he missed an absolute sitter in 83rd minute that would have drawn the Roar level, failing to connect to a perfect Ivan Franjic ball from point blank range.

They say fortune favours the brave, and perhaps the football gods are smiling on the Roar side stamping a more advanced style of play, and legacy, on the A-League this season. Or maybe FIFA...