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The pressure on the former club captain to perform in his
new role was lifted with Melbourne recording a 3-2 win over the Kiwi club
thanks to a blistering start.
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| Stepped up. Muscat takes charge. |
Victory pushed the button early as they looked to attack the
Nix straight from the opening whistle.
Any questions people had on whether Muscat is the right man to take over from the
now Socceroos manager Ange Postecoglou were eradicated early with a fluid display
against Wellington.
While pleased with the debut win, Muscat knew tonight was
much bigger than his own achievements and well aware of the task at hand.
“This was a really good three points for us. I think there were loads of positives going forward in the first half.”
“This was a really good three points for us. I think there were loads of positives going forward in the first half.”
“I wouldn’t have put my hand up to be in this position, I’m
fully aware of the expectations with anyone associated with this football club.
It’s a challenge and I’m looking forward to and will embrace it.”
Muscat believed that Victory played their best football in patches during the match, but still need to work to put it together for the full ninety.
Muscat believed that Victory played their best football in patches during the match, but still need to work to put it together for the full ninety.
The new man in charge admitted to some pre-match nerves as
he made his entry into management.
“I don’t want nerves like that every week. I started off well and thought this was easy in the first 30 minutes, but they gave us a good run for our money in the second.”
“I don’t want nerves like that every week. I started off well and thought this was easy in the first 30 minutes, but they gave us a good run for our money in the second.”
Muscat stayed true to the work of his former boss with an
almost identical line-up to that of Postecoglou. He refrained from making any massive changes to the style
of play with the work of Postecoglou still intact.
There have been times so far this year when Victory have looked rather
goal shy, failing to convert promising attacking plays. That was not an issue
in this match as they took their opportunities when given to them.
Archie Thompson opened his goal scoring account for this
season in the ninth minute of play with a finish that was neatly dispatched
into the top right corner of goal. Wellington’s calls for a hand ball
fell on deaf ears as Archie got on the scoresheet for Melbourne for the first
time since April.
James Troisi then stamped his authority on the match with a
quickfire double to send his goal tally to four goals in three games. Troisi,
on loan from Italian side Atalanta, owes Phoenix Captain Andrew Durrante a slab
of beer for setting up his first goal. A
Durrante back pass left Glenn Moss for dead in goals with a horribly headed pass that fell invitingly
to Troisi who tucked the ball away from close range after 22 minutes.
But Troisi wasn’t done as he got in behind the
defence with a cheeky chip over Moss on 31 minutes, a sublime
through ball from Barbarouses making the goal possible.
Former Victory custodian Glenn Moss coped a barrage of
insults all evening from the home support, with the South End in particular really
letting the Kiwi number one have it each time he was beaten in the first half.
Phoenix managed to get themselves back into the contest with
Jeremy Brockie hitting the target after being set up perfectly by Carlos
Hernandez.
In what was a pretty dull affair in the second half, Paul
Ifill woke some people up in the terraces with a well worked goal in the 83rd
minute.
Wellington tried gallantly to tie up the encounter but
Melbourne held on strong to remain undefeated for the season.
With the madness of the coaching saga that has dominated the
start to Melbourne’s campaign now over, Victory now can settle down and get used to
life under Muscat as they aim reach the pinnacle of Australian football once
more.
Judging by the opening rounds of action Victory look more
than qualified to give the Championship a serious shake this season. The
question now is whether the rookie coach has what it takes to lead the
side to the top in his first year.
If anyone can, it is Kevin Muscat.
If anyone can, it is Kevin Muscat.
Melbourne Victory 1. Nathan COE (GK), 2. Pablo CONTRERAS, 3. Adama TRAORE, 5.
Mark MILLIGAN (c), 6. Leigh BROXHAM, 9. Kosta BARBAROUSES, 10. Archie THOMSPON,
14. James TROISI, 15. Mitch NICHOLS, 23. Adrian LEIJER, 25. Jason GERIA
Subs: 20. Lawrence THOMAS (GK), 4. Nick ANSELL, 7. Guilherme
FINKLER, 11. Connor PAIN, 24. Scott GALLOWAY
Wellington Phoenix 1. Glenn MOSS (GK), 2. Manny MUSCUT, 3. Reece CAIRA, 10.
Stein HUYSEGEMS, 11. Jeremy BROCKIE, 13. Albert RIERA, 16. Louis FENTON, 17. Vince
LIA, 18. Ben SIGMUND, 21. Carlos HERNANDEZ, 22. Andrew DURRANTE (c)
Subs: 30. Jacob SPOONLEY (GK), 5. Michael BOXALL, 7. Leo BERTOS,
8, Paul IFILL, 15. Jason Hicks