Posts about Melbourne Victory (RSS, JSON)

8PM — Who would have thought. An entertaining game of football in front of a big, raucous crowd on Australian soil. It was a pulsating match between the two Melbourne clubs, chances on both sides, more on Victory’s side; both teams equally wasteful in front of the goal, Victory almost comically bad at times.

City had the better start, playing the better, more direct football and deservedly scoring early in the game. Victory grew more confident with every passing minute but lacking the conviction for the final pass. It took until deep into the second half for them to create real chances and a commotion after a corner to equalise.

12PM — Football in Australia is slower than in Europe, less precise, and the game depends on coincidence more often than on plan and skill. I took the photo below just seconds before the second goal. Valon Berisha (#14) manages to curl the ball onto the far post from that position. The ball bounces back into play, and a Victory defender can’t help himself but put the ball into his own goal. I miss the Premier League.

Despite the run of play, the home crowd was surprisingly raucous. However, I missed that one guy that you’ll find in any football stadium, the guy who loses his composure throughout the game, constantly commenting on everything happening on the pitch, convinced it wouldn’t happen if he’d played himself.

And yes, it’s “football,” not “soccer.” I’ll die on that hill.