It’s a Friday night blockbuster at Etihad. Can Victory continue their dominance over The Reds?
A fortnight ago, Melbourne Victory put on quite the display. The 3-0 thrashing of bitter rivals Sydney FC was certainly enough to encourage the massive Etihad crowd to come back through the turnstiles this Friday, regardless of the opponents.
So the fact that the game is a mouth-watering clash with the ladder leaders makes the question of attendance an absolute no-brainer for Victory-s army of followers. This one is simply not to be missed.
And with another huge turnout will inevitably come unbelievable noise from the stands. The league leaders may be unbeaten in 13 games, but they won-t have encountered many more intense atmospheres than the one the North and South Terrace Boys will have in store for them this Friday. Just like they did against Sydney, Victory fans have the opportunity to once again display how important fan power is to the team .
And the players could do with a boost after coming away from Suncorp Stadium last week with nothing to show for an excellent display. Victory-s second-half performance was one of their best of the Hyundai A-League 2010/11 season – certainly on the road – yet they still succumbed to a devastating 77th minute goal which continued their miserable away run.
Still, losing to Brisbane at Suncorp is something that will happen to plenty of teams this season, and there are lots of positives to bring back to Etihad. The manner of their second-half display and the number of chances created – on the back of that powerful performance against Sydney – will put Victory in the mindset that, on home soil, they might just have enough about them to be the first team to overcome a side that almost seems unbeatable. History certainly favours Victory.
You won-t need to tell Reds fans that, astonishingly, Adelaide have lost the last nine clashes between the two sides and you-d need to go back to October 2006 for the last time they won in Melbourne.
Adelaide United-s season just keeps getting better though and Rini Coolen-s Red Army will be hoping that their second Friday night fixture in a row will bring a similar result to their previous one. Last week, after a stuttering first-half, they ripped Wellington Phoenix to shreds in the second period in front of over 11,000 delirious fans, banging in three excellent goals in six minutes through Sergio van Dijk, Marcos Flores and Travis Dodd.
Not only did this ensure that The Reds remain clear at the top of the ladder, but it created Hyundai A-League history by surpassing the previous longest unbeaten run set by Central Coast Mariners in Season One.
In a campaign where everything has been going right for The Reds, suddenly they have been dealt some misfortune through a triple-injury crisis ahead of Friday-s big game.
Daniel Mullen, who recently signed a new two-year contract extension, turned his ankle over in training this week and is doubtful. Also facing a race against the clock to be fit are other key players, Travis Dodd and Matthew Leckie.
Make no mistake, this match-up will present both sides with one of their toughest tests of the Hyundai A-League 2010/11 season. Friday night-s game will be an indicator of United-s ability to sustain their title push for the whole season and of Victory-s credentials to mount a challenge of their own.
The drama is going to be played out in front of another massive Etihad crowd and the atmosphere promises to be electric. Secure your ticket today and be a part of it! Click here for tickets
