Melbourne Victory 0 Sydney FC 0

Sydney FC maintained the Hyundai A-League 2007/08 Season’s only unbeaten away record with a goalless draw against Melbourne Victory.

John Kosmina’s team would have left Telstra Dome with three points had it not been the woodwork coming to Melbourne Victory’s rescue twice in the space of four incident-packed second-half minutes, Hyundai A-League 2007/08 leading scorer Alex Brosque the man denied on both occasions.

Sydney FC, bidding to make it three wins in a row under Kosmina, started brightly in front of almost 32,000 fans, dominating the first 20 minutes before Steve Corica, making his 50th Hyundai A-League appearance for the club, had to leave the field midway through the first period. His injury-enforced withdrawal upset the away side’s rhythm and allowed Melbourne Victory to gain a foothold what was a very feisty contest.

Melbourne Victory had the best chance of the first half nine minutes before the break when Steven Pace connected with a Carlos Hernandez corner kick. His header was goal bound but Sydney FC goalkeeper Clint Bolton made an excellent save at close range.

Bolton was again called into action early in the second period, making two superb stops in the space of 60 seconds, the first to deny Hernandez and the second to prevent Archie Thompson finding the net. The Sydney FC custodian was beaten by a rasping Kevin Muscat drive in the 57th minute but the ball bounced back off the post only for another Melbourne Victory defender, Matthew Kemp, to blaze it into the large crowd.

Sydney FC skipper Tony Popovic made several crucial interceptions and interventions before, with 20 minutes remaining, Kosmina introduced Juninho. The FIFA World Cup winner, left out of Sydney FC’s starting line-up as Kosmina thought that the first half would be physical, had an immediate impact. First, Juninho fed Brosque, who advanced forward before unleashing a powerful shot that cannoned off the post with Melbourne Victory goalkeeper Michael Theoklitos fixed to the spot. Then, soon after, his corner kick found its way to Brosque only for the Sydney FC striker’s deflected effort to hit the bar.

Thompson had a glorious chance to snatch victory for Melbourne Victory in the first minute of injury time but he failed to test Bolton from eight metres out and Sydney FC kept it fourth clean sheet in five away matches in the Hyundai A-League 2007/08 Season.

Melbourne Victory 0
Sydney FC 0
Date: Saturday, November 10, 2007
Venue: Telstra Dome, Melbourne
Referee: Mark Shield
Crowd: 31,884

Melbourne Victory: 1. Michael THEOKLITOS (gk), 2. Kevin MUSCAT (captain), 7. Matthew KEMP, 8. Grant BREBNER, 9. Danny ALLSOPP, 10. Archie THOMPSON, 15. Leandro LOVE (14. Adrian CACERES 61′), 16. Carlos HERNANDEZ (13. Kaz PATAFTA 80′), 17. Daniel VASILEVSKI, 18. Leigh BROXHAM, 24. Steven PACE.

Substitutes not used: 30. Mitchell LANGERAK (gk), 19. Evan BERGER.

Yellow cards: Grant Brebner 41′, Kevin Muscat 87′.

Red cards: None.

Sydney FC: 1. Clint BOLTON (gk), 2. Iain FYFE, 4. Mark RUDAN, 6. Tony POPOVIC (captain), 7. Robbie MIDDLEBY, 8. Ruben ZADKOVICH, 10. Steve CORICA (9. David ZDRILIC 23′), 14. Alex BROSQUE, 16. Mark MILLIGAN, 23. Ufuk TALAY, 28. Michael BRIDGES (22. JUNINHO 70′).

Substitutes not used: 20. Ivan NECEVSKI (gk), 3. Nikolas TSATTALIOS.

Yellow cards: Iain Fyfe 32′.

Red cards: None.