Melbourne Heart FC have handed Melbourne Victory their biggest ever Derby defeat in a stunning 4-0 triumph over their cross town rivals in front of 25,546 fans at AAMI Park on Saturday night
Melbourne Heart FC recorded its biggest derby win against rivals Melbourne Victory in an emphatic 4-0 triumph in front of 25,546 fans at AAMI Park on Saturday night.
The superior side from the outset, 20 minutes of scintillating football from the red half of Melbourne set the tone for the match, as marquee Orlando Engelaar and Mate Dugandzic gave their side a two-goal buffer after goals in the ninth and 16th minutes, respectively.
Victory-s hopes of working a way back into the match were hampered in the 42nd minute when the visitors were reduced to ten men, after Nicholas Ansell was dismissed for pulling David Williams- shirt as Victory-s last man.
After peppering the visitor-s goal in the second half, John van-t Schip-s men sealed their fifth win in a row in the final ten minutes, with two goals in quick succession from David Williams and substitute Harry Kewell on his return from injury.
The first chance of the game fell to Victory in the third minute as Gui Finkler forced a sharp low save from ‘keeper Andrew Redmayne, following a free kick won by the dangerous Tomas Rogic on the edge of Melbourne Heart-s area.
However, Victory were soon chasing the game as Melbourne Heart supporters were sent into delirium after marquee Engelaar started an attack and then finished it to put his side 1-0 up in the ninth minute, with his third goal in as many games.
The towering Dutchman played through Iain Ramsay, whose cross to the near post was flicked on by Williams into the path of the Dutchman who calmly slotted home.
Grabbing the early lead, van-t Schip-s side looked to make the most of the momentum that Engelaar-s breakthrough had given them, and the Red and White dictated much of the early tempo.
In the 16th minute Melbourne Heart spectacularly doubled their lead; a flying run from Dugandzic down the right flank saw the winger beat Scott Galloway and send in a vicious high curling cross, which fortuitously beat Victory ‘keeper Lawrence Thomas via the left upright.
A two-goal lead within 20 minutes of play had AAMI Park heaving as the Red and White faithful savored the early advantage.
As the game settled, Victory managed to find some rhythm of their own, but Melbourne Heart remained dangerous down the wings and also worked hard to force Victory into turnovers.
James Troisi managed Victory-s best attempt of that period in the 36th minute when he cut in from wide and snapped a low shot into the arms of Redmayne from just outside of the box.
The assignment became tougher for Victory in the 42nd minute as their centre back, Ansell, was sent off after tugging on Williams- shirt as the last defender.
Tempers then flared in the 45th minute after Adama Traore and Williams tangled on the wing as players came from everywhere to defend their team mates.
After a typically eventful and frenetic first half, Melbourne Heart went into the break with a 2-0, and one-man, advantage.
Archie Thompson tried his best to scrape his side back into the game as the second half began, forcing a fumble from Redmayne with a well-won header off Troisi-s free kick in the 47th minute.
Melbourne Heart hit back with a chance of their own in the 56th minute when Ramsay met a Dugandzic cross perfectly, forcing a wonderful reflex save from Thomas in the Victory goal.
Troisi again proved a handful for the Melbourne Heart as the striker created room on his left foot, but shot wide, after a rare foray forward where Victory had possession and attackers to outnumber their opponents.
Victory brought on wingers Connor Pain and Kosta Barbarouses in the 63rd minute as Kevin Muscat-s side attempted to claw their way back into the match.
The latter almost had an immediate impact as he managed to find himself dangerously deep within his offensive area.
But this triggered a trio of chances for Melbourne Heart starting in the 66th minute with Ramsay hitting the post, Williams forcing a goal mouth clearance from Galloway and substitute Nick Kalmar heading over the bar from a corner.
Dugandzic then scuffed two efforts on goal, before Thomas tipped away Ramsay-s low ball across the middle of the Victory penalty area.
Thomas produced another neat save to deny Kalmar-s free kick, awarded for a handball on the edge of the box.
After almost 35 minutes of relentless attacking pressure, Williams netted Heart-s third in the 83rd minute. The spearhead of the Melbourne Heart line up slotted past Thomas after some good build up play involving Dugandzic, Ramsay and substitute Kewell who made his return from a toe injury.
That return was topped off a minute later when Kewell turned back the clock, rifling an absolute bullet with his left foot past Thomas into the bottom right hand corner of the goal to put Melbourne Heart 4-0 ahead.
Melbourne Heart tried to repeat the five-goal effort they achieved two weeks ago in Wellington but a spectacular long effort from the lively Kalmar fizzed over the bar.
Van-t Schip-s side have now won six games, drawn two and lost only one in 2014 and go into next week-s game against Newcastle Jets away with the momentum from an emphatic derby win behind them.
Match Details
Hyundai A- League Round 21
Saturday, 1 March 2014
Melbourne Heart FC 4 (Engelaar 9-, Dugandzic 16-, Williams 84-, Kewell 85-)
Melbourne Victory FC 0
Attendance: 25, 546
Referee: Strebre Delovski
Melbourne Heart FC Starting XI: 1. Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), 3. Robbie WIELART ©, 4. Orlando ENGELAAR (10. Harry KEWELL 81-), 7. Iain RAMSAY, 8. Massimo MURDOCCA, 13. Jonatan GERMANO (22. Nicholas KALMAR 59-) 15. David WILLIAMS, 17. Jason HOFFMAN, 19. Benjamin GARRUCIO, 23. Mate DUGANDZIC, 24. Patrick KISNORBO (30. Ross ARCHIBALD 87-)
Substitutes not used: 20. Tando VELHAPI (GK), 21. Stefan MAUK
Yellow Cards: Germano 28-, Kisnorbo 38-, Dugandzic 45-, Hoffman 48-, Williams 70-
Red Cards: Nil
Melbourne Victory FC Starting XI: 3. Adama TRAORE, 4. Nicholas ANSELL, 5. Mark MILLIGAN, 6. Leigh BROXHAM, 7. Guilherme FINKLER, 10. Archie THOMPSON (9. Kosta BARBAROUSES, 63-), 14. James TROISI (11. Connor PAIN 63-) 20. Lawrence THOMAS (GK), 21. Tomas ROGIC (22. Jesse MAKAROUNAS 78-), 24. Scott GALLOWAY, 25. Jason GERIA
Substitutes not used: 1. Nathan COE, 16. Rashid MAHAZI
Yellow Cards: Adama Traore 45-
Red Cards: Nicholas Ansell 42-
