Melbourne Victory host heated rivals Sydney FC this Friday night in the latest iteration of the Australia Day ‘Big Blue’.
Here, we look back on some of the most memorable Australia Day clashes between these two Hyundai A-League powerhouses.
SEB’S LATE SHOW – 2011/12
Sebastian Ryall scored his first Hyundai A-League goal in the 90th minute to secure Sydney FC a dramatic come-from-behind 2-2 draw at AAMI Park.
With half-time approaching and the game goal-less, twin strikes from Isaka Cernak and Fabio gave Victory a 2-0 lead at the break.
Brazilian striker Bruno Cazarine reduced the deficit for a fired-up Sky Blues side after 56 minutes before Ryall poked home the equaliser from Scott Jamieson’s free-kick.
ROJAS AT THE DOUBLE AS SKY BLUES SEE RED – 2012-13
Melbourne Victory got their win this time by beating a nine-man Sydney FC 3-1 in a controversial Big Blue at AAMI Park.
Referee Chris Beath handed out 10 yellow cards with Brazilians Tiago Calvano and Fabio both sent off in the second half after receiving their second cautions of the match.
Marco Rojas’ deflected effort had Victory ahead at half-time with Archie Thompson slotting home the second on 68 minutes.
Rojas made it 3-0 shortly afterwards but Joel Griffiths replied almost instantly, before a flurry of cards saw the Sky Blues end the game with just nine men.
VICTORY BLOWN AWAY BY RAMPANT SYDNEY – 2013-14
Victory suffered their worst ever home defeat with Sydney FC running riot at Etihad Stadium, crushing their rivals 5-0.
Serbian Ranko Despotovic scored the first after just 11 minutes and then earned a penalty which Alessandro Del Piero slotted to make it 2-0.
Ex-Victory man Ryall was on the scoresheet soon afterwards, picking up the ball in the opposition half, beating two challengers and toe-poking past Nathan Coe.
Del Piero netted his second early in the second half with substitute Nicky Carle completing the rout three minutes from time.
OWN-GOAL THE ONLY GOAL – 2015-16
A cagey contest was decided by a 79th minute own-goal from current Caltex Socceroos and then Sydney FC defender Matt Jurman.
21-year-old substitute Jesse Makarounas was introduced by Kevin Muscat with 15 minutes to go and provided the spark for the game’s decisive moment.
The fringe first-teamer surged from midfield and delivered a cross which Jurman could only divert past the helpless Vedran Janjetovic and into his own net.
BERNIE’S BRILLIANCE SEALS IT FOR SKY BLUES – 2016-17
With the two sides occupying the top two spots on the ladder, James Troisi opened the scoring for Victory with a superb curling effort in the 18th minute of a pulsating encounter.
Filip Holosko squared the ledger just before half-time, seizing onto a long cross from Milos Ninkovic and looping his header past Lawrence Thomas.
Second-half substitute Bernie Ibini then supplied a sublime winner for Sydney, using pace, power and guile to beat two Victory defenders and ‘keeper Thomas to plant home the match-winner.
