With the Hyundai A-League 2017/18 season just days away, we relive some great games from the past.
And with both clubs meeting on Saturday night, we relive the 2014/15 Big Blue Grand Final between Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC.
Both sides came into the game off the back of convincing wins in their elimination finals.
Victory beat cross-town rivals Melbourne City 3-0, while the Sky Blues easily accounted for Adelaide United 4-1.
In front of a full house at AAMI Park, Victory set the scene for the game, starting strongly against a subdued Sydney FC.
Victory pressed the visitors relentlessly. And the Sky Blues struggled to cope with the all-out pressure on them as the Big V moved in for the kill.
What didn’t help Sydney was an injury to central defender Jacques Faty. It wasn’t looking like it would be their day and it was no surprise when Besart Berisha opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark, a lead which Victory took into the break.
Despite dominating possession and having by far the better chances, it wasn’t until Kosta Barbarouses scored Victory’s second in the 83rd minute that their fans could start to breathe more easily.
Even a second yellow card for Carl Valeri couldn’t dampen their enthusiasm and when club icon Leigh Broxham iced the cake with a third goal in injury time, the celebrations began.
Victory captain Mark Milligan was awarded the Joe Marston Medal and thrust the Championship trophy jubilantly into the Melbourne sky.
