It’s been a long five months in the life of Zinédine Machach.
The French-born Melbourne Victory star has spent the Isuzu UTE A-League off-season lamenting his side’s extra-time defeat to Central Coast Mariners in the 2024 Grand Final; fortunately for Machach and Victory, they don’t have to wait long for their first crack at revenge.
The Mariners beat Victory at Industree Group Stadium in the last game of the 2023-24 season, and the two Grand Finalists will lock horns in the very first game of the new campaign – once again in Gosford.
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“I’m really excited,” Machach said.
“I’ve waited for this moment and I’m happy we start against Central Coast, because it’s a great team and I have more reason (because) of last season, I want to win against this team.”
Machach and Victory come into the new season under new management, following the departure of Tony Popovic, who in September was named head coach of the Subway Socceroos.
In Popovic’s place arrived Patrick Kisnorbo – a former Melbourne City player and a Premiership/Championship coach at Victory’s cross-town rivals.
Machach admits the difference between the two coaches in terms of football philosophy led to a challenging start to pre-season under the new man in charge.
“It’s different, because Popa had one vision of football and PK has one also,” Machach said.
“For me, for the first two (or) three weeks it was difficult for me to improve because I have to do something different. But I’ve started to improve, and I’m really happy because I started to play well the last two games, I’m happy because I follow the plan of (PK).”
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Machach has played five competitive games under Kisnorbo in the Isuzu UTE A-League off-season, as Victory surged to the Australia Cup final where they took on Macarthur FC at AAMI Park in late September.
Victory lost 1-0 to the Bulls in the title decider. It was a game Machach says Victory should have won, and the club’s second defeat in as many finals following the Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final heartbreak suffered in May.
Machach says reaching consecutive finals in the Isuzu UTE A-League and Australia Cup has shown the club is on the right path – but the challenge now is to go one step further.
“To go to the final is not easy,” Machach said.
“We got to the final of the (Australia) Cup – and we deserved to win. We played better than Macarthur, but this is football.
“They have a chance to score and we don’t score, but we got to the final (which) is a good point.
“For me, we want to win the league and after, we want to go to Grand Final again… (if) we play for Victory the objective is to win everything.”
