Victory produce confidence boosting first win

Melbourne Victory travelled across the ditch to Wellington in a Round 4 Hyundai A-League tie searching for their first win of the season. With newspaper inches in the aftermath of the “disgraceful” derby performance devoted to disgruntled defender Matthew Foschini’s frank assessment, the Blue and White had a point to prove.

For a club that has generally been followed by a media circus, Victory had seemingly gone into lockdown in the latter half of the last week.

Make no mistake, for Mehmet Durakovic, this was a must win match.

The real story of the first month of the Hyundai A-League season for the Victory was not Harry Kewell but rather the absence of Kevin Muscat. In the first six seasons the bald talisman was instrumental in bringing the ball out from the back and the departure had left Victory bereft of creativity. Leigh Broxham retained his place in the centre of the park this time with Tom Pondeljak.

Carlos Hernandez and Harry Kewell found themselves dropping very deep in the first half to collect while Foschini and the Brazilian Fabio were wingbacks instructed to get forward.

All the running in the opening half came down young Foschini’s side as the Phoenix overloaded with Dani Sanchez and Tony Lochead pressing forward.

In the 17th minute All White Lochead and the Brazilian Daniel exchanged passes as the former hit a beautiful floated ball directly onto the head of Dani Sanchez. The Spaniard kicking himself missing a sure goal after not hitting the target.

On 25 minutes Greenarce hit it to Lochead who’s back stick pass fell perfectly to Tim Brown. Brown got free from a defender but with his non-preferred left boot lifted it over the bar when sure contact left or right would have again sufficed.

As Durakovic sat instruction-less on the bench, another Lochead cross, this time with pace, again found Brown whose lovely header was expertly saved by diving Ante Covic.

As the game approached the half time break with Ricky Herbert becoming increasingly frustrated at the profligate Phoenix, young Foschini hit a perfect cross field pass Carlos Hernandez. The Costa Rican now had room with a changed point of attack and dished to Thompson. Thompson made mince meat of the debutante former Sydney FC left-back Nik Tsattalios before nestling a curling right foot shot inside Tony Warner’s far post. Melbourne Victory’s season now kick started by a piece of magic.

Victory weren’t finished there with a lovely sweeping move created by contributions from Hernandez, Solorzano and Kewell who could not quite get to Solorzano’s superbly struck cross which flashed across goal.

Durakovic would go into the dressing room a far happier mentor but knowing, in truth, the Victory were long odds to be 1-0 up after forty five.

Melbourne began the stronger in the second half as Thompson, Kewell and Solorzano began to find their feet. The Costa Rican’s contribution with Tom Pondeljak through the middle began to stretch the Kiwis in a way that the Victory haven’t yet done so far this season.

On 65 minutes, as Marco Rojas came on to cries of Judas! Judas! Archie Thompson played a one-two and was in on goal only for Ben Sigmund, who had an excellent opening half, to bring down the former Socceroo and earn himself an early shower.

Carlo Hernandez stepped up and from the spot was too good for Warner.

But the Victory went to sleep and only had themselves to blame when Daniel took a quick free quick and the ball fell invitingly to the Spaniard Dani Sanchez, who was this time not gun shy in hammering the ball past Covic who could no nothing.

The Victory were spurred on by a fast finishing ten man Phoenix as Rojas began to create along the left touchline. As a corner resulted from a Rojas cross which Tony Warner flapped at, a set piece between Thompson and Kewell unlocked the Phoenix defence. The pass from Kewell sumptuous but the linesman, only metres away flagged offside when it simply could not have been so. Thompson denied a goal handcrafted by Socceroos’ artisans.

It finished 2-1 to Melbourne Victory who began to show their class in the encounter but who face the peerless Brisbane Roar next week. Bring on the magic of Round 5 of the Hyundai A-League.