Sydney FC
Allianz Stadium
Sunday, 14 Feb 2010
6:00PM NZST
Melbourne Victory
Preview: Sydney FC v Melbourne Victory
Date: Sunday February 14
Kick-off: 5:00pm AEDT
Venue: Sydney Football Stadium
Head-to-head
Played 14: Melbourne Victory 5, Sydney FC 3, Draws 6
Previous Meeting
Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC 0, Etihad Stadium, December 2009
Past five matches:
Sydney FC:
Round 22: Perth Glory 0, Sydney FC 0, Members Equity Stadium
Round 23: Sydney FC 0, Gold Coast United 1, Sydney Football Stadium
Round 24: Newcastle Jets 1, Sydney FC 3, Energy Australia Stadium
Round 25: Brisbane Roar 1, Sydney FC 0, Suncorp Stadium
Round 26: Sydney FC 3, Perth Glory 2, Sydney Football Stadium
Melbourne Victory:
Round 23: Melbourne Victory 6, Perth Glory 2, Etihad Stadium
Round 24: Melbourne Victory 2, Adelaide United 0, Etihad Stadium
Round 19: Melbourne Victory 4, Wellington Phoenix 0, Etihad Stadium
Round 25: Gold Coast United 1, Melbourne Victory 0, Skilled Park
Round 26: Melbourne Victory 2, North Queensland Fury 0, Etihad Stadium
Analysis:
After 134 games, the race for the Premiers' Plate will be determined by the outcome of the final match of the season between Sydney and Melbourne at the SFS on Sunday.
In what is a dream finale to the regular season, a win or draw from Melbourne will be enough for it to defend the title it won in the last round of last season. However a win from Sydney would be enough for the Sky Blues to finish top for the very first time in its history.
But there is more than silverware on the line in this contest, with Sydney still battling to seal a top-two spot and the double chance which comes with it. If Gold Coast defeats North Queensland on Saturday night then Sydney will require a win to ensure it finishes top two.
So it is all on the line in a contest between the two biggest Hyundai A-League clubs. They have never met in a final, but this is as close as it gets, with so much on the line.
Sydney will have the confidence of having gone to Etihad Stadium twice this year and achieved a win and a draw. The fact Melbourne has won just one of its past seven against the Sky Blues, will also give the home side plenty of confidence as well the fact the Melbourne has failed to breach their defence in 180 minutes of football this year.
Melbourne has won just once in six trips to the Harbour City and that was back in 2006, while the SFS has proven a difficult place for both sides to score goals against one another, with just 13 in the six encounters between the teams.
Sydney has a superb record at home this year having won ten and lost three, with a goal difference of plus 10, including four wins in its past five.
However, Sydney has mixed its form over the past month, losing matches against Gold Coast and Brisbane, while it took a late John Aloisi goal to get it over the line against Perth last week. Aloisi scored a brace in that match and seems to be getting back to fitness and form at the right end of the season.
That's handy considering Mark Bridge will miss the next couple of weeks with a toe injury. Brendan Gan takes his spot in the squad, while Sebastian Ryall is a week away from returning from a knee injury.
Melbourne has put itself in pole position on the back of four wins in its past five games, but all of those wins have come at home. The extraordinary record the Victory built on the road earlier in the season has been somewhat sullied by three consecutive road losses to Gold Coast, Newcastle and Townsville.
Melbourne's two most influential players, Kevin Muscat and Archie Thompson, remain sidelined for this match, with Muscat serving out a suspension, while Thompson recovers from a broken bone in his foot. To add the Victory's woe, Matthew Kemp, one of the most improved players in the competition this year, suffered a serious knee injury and will miss the rest of the season.
Either Surat Sukha or Matthew Foschini will take his spot in the squad, while Evan Berger will most likely slip into the starting line-up for Kemp. Nik Mrdja could make his starting debut for his new club having played a half last week, but that depends on how Ernie Merrick looks to use Marvin Angulo. Nathan Elasi is included in an extended squad.
Carlos Hernandez was simply outstanding against the Fury last week, scoring two fantastic goals and given Thompson will be absent for at least the first couple of finals matches, the Costa Rican's output will be crucial to Melbourne's hopes of defending the championship.
Whether Sydney opts to man-mark him with the likes of Terry McFlynn, or sticks to its usual plan of starving the opposition attack of space, Hernandez will find it tough to have the same influence on this contest.
But if Sydney is to achieve what it needs to in this match and get the three points, it will need to attack as well. Melbourne's defence has conceded just one goal in its past four games and won't be easy to break down.
Sydney FC squad: 1.Clint BOLTON (gk), 3.Stephan KELLER, 4.Simon COLOSIMO, 6.Karol KISEL, 7.Brendan GAN, 8.Stuart MUSIALIK, 9.John ALOISI, 10.Steve CORICA (c), 12.Shannon COLE, 14.Alex BROSQUE, 15.Terry MCFLYNN, 16.Chris PAYNE, 20.Ivan NECEVSKI (gk), 22.Sung-Hwan BYUN, 23. Rhyan GRANT, 26 Hayden FOXE
*one to be omitted*
In: Brendan GAN (promoted)
Out: Mark BRIDGE (Toe – 2 weeks)
Unavailable: Kofi DANNING (knee – season), Matthew JURMAN (foot – season), Sebastian RYALL (knee – 1 week)
Melbourne Victory: 1.Mitchell LANGERAK (gk), 5.Surat SUKHA, 6.Leigh BROXHAM, 8.Grant BREBNER, 11.Marvin ANGULO, 12.Rodrigo VARGAS, 13.Nathan ELASI, 15.Tom PONDELJAK, 16.Carlos HERNANDEZ, 17.Matthew FOSCHINI, 19. Evan BERGER, 20.Glen MOSS (gk), 21.Robbie KRUSE, 22.Nick WARD, 23.Adrian LEIJER (c), 25.Aziz BEHICH, 29.Nik MRDJA
*Two to be omitted
In: Nathan ELASI (promoted), Matthew FOSCHINI (promoted), Surat SUHKA (return from injury)
Out: Matthew KEMP (knee, season)
Unavailable: Billy CELESKI (knee, season), Mate DUGANDZIC (knee, 1 week), Kevin MUSCAT (suspended, 1 week), Steven PACE (abdomen, indefinite), Archie THOMPSON (foot, 3 weeks)
Kick-off: 5:00pm AEDT
Venue: Sydney Football Stadium
Head-to-head
Played 14: Melbourne Victory 5, Sydney FC 3, Draws 6
Previous Meeting
Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC 0, Etihad Stadium, December 2009
Past five matches:
Sydney FC:
Round 22: Perth Glory 0, Sydney FC 0, Members Equity Stadium
Round 23: Sydney FC 0, Gold Coast United 1, Sydney Football Stadium
Round 24: Newcastle Jets 1, Sydney FC 3, Energy Australia Stadium
Round 25: Brisbane Roar 1, Sydney FC 0, Suncorp Stadium
Round 26: Sydney FC 3, Perth Glory 2, Sydney Football Stadium
Melbourne Victory:
Round 23: Melbourne Victory 6, Perth Glory 2, Etihad Stadium
Round 24: Melbourne Victory 2, Adelaide United 0, Etihad Stadium
Round 19: Melbourne Victory 4, Wellington Phoenix 0, Etihad Stadium
Round 25: Gold Coast United 1, Melbourne Victory 0, Skilled Park
Round 26: Melbourne Victory 2, North Queensland Fury 0, Etihad Stadium
Analysis:
After 134 games, the race for the Premiers' Plate will be determined by the outcome of the final match of the season between Sydney and Melbourne at the SFS on Sunday.
In what is a dream finale to the regular season, a win or draw from Melbourne will be enough for it to defend the title it won in the last round of last season. However a win from Sydney would be enough for the Sky Blues to finish top for the very first time in its history.
But there is more than silverware on the line in this contest, with Sydney still battling to seal a top-two spot and the double chance which comes with it. If Gold Coast defeats North Queensland on Saturday night then Sydney will require a win to ensure it finishes top two.
So it is all on the line in a contest between the two biggest Hyundai A-League clubs. They have never met in a final, but this is as close as it gets, with so much on the line.
Sydney will have the confidence of having gone to Etihad Stadium twice this year and achieved a win and a draw. The fact Melbourne has won just one of its past seven against the Sky Blues, will also give the home side plenty of confidence as well the fact the Melbourne has failed to breach their defence in 180 minutes of football this year.
Melbourne has won just once in six trips to the Harbour City and that was back in 2006, while the SFS has proven a difficult place for both sides to score goals against one another, with just 13 in the six encounters between the teams.
Sydney has a superb record at home this year having won ten and lost three, with a goal difference of plus 10, including four wins in its past five.
However, Sydney has mixed its form over the past month, losing matches against Gold Coast and Brisbane, while it took a late John Aloisi goal to get it over the line against Perth last week. Aloisi scored a brace in that match and seems to be getting back to fitness and form at the right end of the season.
That's handy considering Mark Bridge will miss the next couple of weeks with a toe injury. Brendan Gan takes his spot in the squad, while Sebastian Ryall is a week away from returning from a knee injury.
Melbourne has put itself in pole position on the back of four wins in its past five games, but all of those wins have come at home. The extraordinary record the Victory built on the road earlier in the season has been somewhat sullied by three consecutive road losses to Gold Coast, Newcastle and Townsville.
Melbourne's two most influential players, Kevin Muscat and Archie Thompson, remain sidelined for this match, with Muscat serving out a suspension, while Thompson recovers from a broken bone in his foot. To add the Victory's woe, Matthew Kemp, one of the most improved players in the competition this year, suffered a serious knee injury and will miss the rest of the season.
Either Surat Sukha or Matthew Foschini will take his spot in the squad, while Evan Berger will most likely slip into the starting line-up for Kemp. Nik Mrdja could make his starting debut for his new club having played a half last week, but that depends on how Ernie Merrick looks to use Marvin Angulo. Nathan Elasi is included in an extended squad.
Carlos Hernandez was simply outstanding against the Fury last week, scoring two fantastic goals and given Thompson will be absent for at least the first couple of finals matches, the Costa Rican's output will be crucial to Melbourne's hopes of defending the championship.
Whether Sydney opts to man-mark him with the likes of Terry McFlynn, or sticks to its usual plan of starving the opposition attack of space, Hernandez will find it tough to have the same influence on this contest.
But if Sydney is to achieve what it needs to in this match and get the three points, it will need to attack as well. Melbourne's defence has conceded just one goal in its past four games and won't be easy to break down.
Sydney FC squad: 1.Clint BOLTON (gk), 3.Stephan KELLER, 4.Simon COLOSIMO, 6.Karol KISEL, 7.Brendan GAN, 8.Stuart MUSIALIK, 9.John ALOISI, 10.Steve CORICA (c), 12.Shannon COLE, 14.Alex BROSQUE, 15.Terry MCFLYNN, 16.Chris PAYNE, 20.Ivan NECEVSKI (gk), 22.Sung-Hwan BYUN, 23. Rhyan GRANT, 26 Hayden FOXE
*one to be omitted*
In: Brendan GAN (promoted)
Out: Mark BRIDGE (Toe – 2 weeks)
Unavailable: Kofi DANNING (knee – season), Matthew JURMAN (foot – season), Sebastian RYALL (knee – 1 week)
Melbourne Victory: 1.Mitchell LANGERAK (gk), 5.Surat SUKHA, 6.Leigh BROXHAM, 8.Grant BREBNER, 11.Marvin ANGULO, 12.Rodrigo VARGAS, 13.Nathan ELASI, 15.Tom PONDELJAK, 16.Carlos HERNANDEZ, 17.Matthew FOSCHINI, 19. Evan BERGER, 20.Glen MOSS (gk), 21.Robbie KRUSE, 22.Nick WARD, 23.Adrian LEIJER (c), 25.Aziz BEHICH, 29.Nik MRDJA
*Two to be omitted
In: Nathan ELASI (promoted), Matthew FOSCHINI (promoted), Surat SUHKA (return from injury)
Out: Matthew KEMP (knee, season)
Unavailable: Billy CELESKI (knee, season), Mate DUGANDZIC (knee, 1 week), Kevin MUSCAT (suspended, 1 week), Steven PACE (abdomen, indefinite), Archie THOMPSON (foot, 3 weeks)
League Position
Top Scorers
| Goals | Pens | First | Last |
| Goals | Pens | First | Last |
Discipline
| Yellow | Red | Total |
| Yellow | Red | Total |
| Home Team | Statistic | Away Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Goals | 0 |
| 12 | Shots | 14 |
| 6 | Shots Off | 6 |
| 5 | Corners | 10 |
| 0 | Offside | 6 |
| 15 | Fouls | 12 |
| 2 | Yellows | 3 |
| 0 | Reds | 0 |
44%
56%
Possession
| Home Team | Statistic | Away Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Goals | 0 |
| 12 | Shots | 14 |
| 6 | Shots Off | 6 |
| 5 | Corners | 10 |
| 0 | Offside | 6 |
| 15 | Fouls | 12 |
| 2 | Yellows | 3 |
| 0 | Reds | 0 |
44%
56%
Possession
Sydney claims top spot
Two stunning goals worthy of the occasion have seen Sydney FC snatch the A-League Premiership with a dramatic 2-0 win over Melbourne in a riveting finish to the regular season at the SFS on Sunday night.
Karol Kisel's classy 25m volley on 34 minutes was bettered early in the second half when John Aloisi took the ball in his own half and kept the Victory defence back-pedalling before letting fly with a cracking left-foot shot that crept inside the near post.
Both are goal-of-the-year contenders, the occasion bringing the best out of the home side after it started the day two points behind its great rival.
The win not only gave the Sky Blues their first Premiers' Plate but also secured automatic qualification for next year's Asian Champions League, much to the delight of the pro-Sydney crowd of 25,407.
The only disappointment for the Sky Blues is that they may enter the final series without retiring skipper Steve Corica, whose regular season farewell ended in disappointment when he was forced from the field with a hamstring strain after just 18 minutes.
The former Socceroo must be at long odds to play in Thursday night's first leg major semi-final against Victory at Etihad Stadium.
Corica was perhaps caught out by the pace of the game early as both teams showed their intention to attack.
It was Nik Mrdja, the player at the centre of a pre-match controversy over his late season transfer from Central Coast, and Nick Ward who combined to prise open the Sydney defence on nine minutes.
A lovely one-two between the pair put Ward in space inside the box and he should have buried the chance, instead dragging his shot across the goal before turning to the heavens in anguish.
Kisel was typically lively, trying his luck from range on 24 minutes before being brought down by Grant Brebner minutes later, earning the uncompromising Victory midfielder a yellow card.
Kisel sought retribution soon after, taking Brebner's feet from under him to earn a place in the referee's book.
But in the 34th minute his name was again being scribbled down, this time for all the right reasons.
After the ball was headed from Terry McFlynn for Alex Brosque to nod onto Kisel, the diminutive No.6 hit the ball with the outside of his right boot and wheeled away in delight as it dipped and looped over goalkeeper Mitchell Langerak and into the right-hand corner of the net.
It was a goal of rare class but we were to see even better from Aloisi on 49 minutes.
McFlynn put his body on the line to win possession on his side of the centre circle, the ball squirting to Aloisi.
He turned Leigh Broxham immediately before finding himself in metres of space, tempting him towards the Melbourne goal.
Inexplicably, the Victory defence treated Aloisi like he had mumps, keeping a safe distance until it was too late.
By the time they reacted the ball was in the back of the net courtesy of a sweetly-hit 20m drive, the former Socceroo racing to the corner flag and grabbing it like he was a lead singer working the microphone at a rock concert.
Aloisi's third goal in two games stung the Victory into action and they were unlucky not to pull one back on 57 minutes.
Mrdja did well to keep his feet and hold off Simon Colosimo before striking the left post with a shot on the turn.
It was as close as the visitors would come, the season's biggest SFS crowd literally singing and dancing in the rain as the Premiers' Plate was handed over to the Sky Blues for the first time.
Missing Archie Thompson and Kevin Muscat, Melbourne will feel better days are ahead in the finals.
But they will be sweating on the fitness of Robbie Kruse, who left the field on a stretcher late in the game with what looked a serious ankle problem
Sydney FC 2 (Kisel 34, Aloisi 49)
Melbourne Victory 0
Crowd: 25.407 at the Sydney Football Stadium
Karol Kisel's classy 25m volley on 34 minutes was bettered early in the second half when John Aloisi took the ball in his own half and kept the Victory defence back-pedalling before letting fly with a cracking left-foot shot that crept inside the near post.
Both are goal-of-the-year contenders, the occasion bringing the best out of the home side after it started the day two points behind its great rival.
The win not only gave the Sky Blues their first Premiers' Plate but also secured automatic qualification for next year's Asian Champions League, much to the delight of the pro-Sydney crowd of 25,407.
The only disappointment for the Sky Blues is that they may enter the final series without retiring skipper Steve Corica, whose regular season farewell ended in disappointment when he was forced from the field with a hamstring strain after just 18 minutes.
The former Socceroo must be at long odds to play in Thursday night's first leg major semi-final against Victory at Etihad Stadium.
Corica was perhaps caught out by the pace of the game early as both teams showed their intention to attack.
It was Nik Mrdja, the player at the centre of a pre-match controversy over his late season transfer from Central Coast, and Nick Ward who combined to prise open the Sydney defence on nine minutes.
A lovely one-two between the pair put Ward in space inside the box and he should have buried the chance, instead dragging his shot across the goal before turning to the heavens in anguish.
Kisel was typically lively, trying his luck from range on 24 minutes before being brought down by Grant Brebner minutes later, earning the uncompromising Victory midfielder a yellow card.
Kisel sought retribution soon after, taking Brebner's feet from under him to earn a place in the referee's book.
But in the 34th minute his name was again being scribbled down, this time for all the right reasons.
After the ball was headed from Terry McFlynn for Alex Brosque to nod onto Kisel, the diminutive No.6 hit the ball with the outside of his right boot and wheeled away in delight as it dipped and looped over goalkeeper Mitchell Langerak and into the right-hand corner of the net.
It was a goal of rare class but we were to see even better from Aloisi on 49 minutes.
McFlynn put his body on the line to win possession on his side of the centre circle, the ball squirting to Aloisi.
He turned Leigh Broxham immediately before finding himself in metres of space, tempting him towards the Melbourne goal.
Inexplicably, the Victory defence treated Aloisi like he had mumps, keeping a safe distance until it was too late.
By the time they reacted the ball was in the back of the net courtesy of a sweetly-hit 20m drive, the former Socceroo racing to the corner flag and grabbing it like he was a lead singer working the microphone at a rock concert.
Aloisi's third goal in two games stung the Victory into action and they were unlucky not to pull one back on 57 minutes.
Mrdja did well to keep his feet and hold off Simon Colosimo before striking the left post with a shot on the turn.
It was as close as the visitors would come, the season's biggest SFS crowd literally singing and dancing in the rain as the Premiers' Plate was handed over to the Sky Blues for the first time.
Missing Archie Thompson and Kevin Muscat, Melbourne will feel better days are ahead in the finals.
But they will be sweating on the fitness of Robbie Kruse, who left the field on a stretcher late in the game with what looked a serious ankle problem
Sydney FC 2 (Kisel 34, Aloisi 49)
Melbourne Victory 0
Crowd: 25.407 at the Sydney Football Stadium
| Home Team | Statistic | Away Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Goals | 0 |
| 12 | Shots | 14 |
| 6 | Shots Off | 6 |
| 5 | Corners | 10 |
| 0 | Offside | 6 |
| 15 | Fouls | 12 |
| 2 | Yellows | 3 |
| 0 | Reds | 0 |
44%
56%
Possession
| Home Team | Statistic | Away Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Goals | 0 |
| 12 | Shots | 14 |
| 6 | Shots Off | 6 |
| 5 | Corners | 10 |
| 0 | Offside | 6 |
| 15 | Fouls | 12 |
| 2 | Yellows | 3 |
| 0 | Reds | 0 |
44%
56%
Possession
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| Pl | F | A | Pts | ||
| Sydney FC | 27 | 35 | 23 | 48 | |
| Melbourne Victory | 27 | 47 | 32 | 47 | |
| Gold Coast United | 27 | 39 | 35 | 44 | |
| Wellington Phoenix | 27 | 37 | 29 | 40 | |
| Perth Glory | 27 | 40 | 34 | 39 | |
| Newcastle Jets | 27 | 33 | 45 | 34 | |
| North Queensland Fury | 27 | 29 | 46 | 32 | |
| Central Coast Mariners | 27 | 32 | 29 | 30 | |
| Brisbane Roar | 27 | 32 | 42 | 30 | |
| Adelaide United | 27 | 24 | 33 | 29 |