Sydney FC 2 Melbourne Victory 2
A remarkable turnaround by Sydney FC brought cheers to Allianz Stadium when it looked like their bitter rivals from down south would win the latest big blue clash at a canter. A magnificent free kick from Wanderers reject and World Cup champion Juan Mata sent the Victory fans crazy, and when their team followed it up with a second in front of the Cove in the second half, the game looked dead and buried. Two quickfire goals in the five minutes that followed brought the game to a climax, Sydney couldn’t find their way through for a winner despite throwing everything at Victory, to the extent that it felt like two points dropped rather than a point gained. The rivalry continues as honours remain even in the 2025/26 season.
Saturday night’s Big Blue came sandwiched amongst the Women’s Asian Cup fixtures, and we were blessed with a number of visitors from out of town who were looking for even more football to fill their already packed itinerary. Ditching the idea of driving late in the piece in favour of public transport was a wise decision, the train from Meadowbank taking us to Central in no time, and the short walk up to the Dove and Olive gave us plenty of time for dinner and lots of drinks in a smashing pre-game atmosphere. Leaving the pub, a one-stop light rail journey took us to Moore Park, where there was a heady mix of gothic music-goers and Sydney FC fans, going their separate ways once we reached Driver Avenue.
Tonight was not only a huge game on the field, but it was also a celebration of 20 years of the Cove, and the pregame light and video show had the darkened stadium looking like a Daft Punk concert. Grabbing some refreshment from the bar in front of the members entrance (so they wouldn’t pour the drinks out of the cans) my way to Cove Heights was blocked by a member of security, the enormous tifo being unfurled as I walked up the steps. Nothing left to do but go back down and join the chorus underneath the banner at the back of the Cove with fellow members as We Are Sydney was belted out with extra oomph by everyone. What an atmosphere, and not being able to see the action as the game started didn’t really matter – every single person under that flag was singing their hearts out.
Finally allowed back up to Cove Heights, we had fans of Macarthur FC, Perth Glory, Melbourne Victory (women’s!), all united as Matildas fans, as well as our usual group of Sydney FC stalwarts. The atmosphere was superb, the crowd was decent if not big, and the group of Victory fans at the far end had assembled to make noise back at the Cove. Our Cove drummer was playing from the field, the gigantic tifo was carried through to the service tunnel in the corner, those carrying it singing Come on you Boys in Blue as they walked. The football was being played mostly up at the far end, Sydney having lost the toin coss to shoot towards the Cove in the first half. Harrison Devenish-Meares watched one past his post when the Sydney defence was carved open and we were still not at the five minute mark.
Tolgay Arslan showed great feet to get into a scoring position down below and brought a good save from Melbourne’s mystery goalkeeper, Paul Okon-Engstler was pole-axed in midfield and remained down on the ground after the big collision. Piero Quispe was already irking the crowd with his inability to play the first time ball, demanding way too many touches before offloading or playing the simple ball. Alex Popovic made a block up the far end, suggestions of a handball not apparent from our distant view, before Juan Mata and Nikos Vergos both had efforts blocked. The Cove was bouncing, little kids standing watching the goings on down below with mouths agape. Something was happening down at the bottom, all eyes were on the back of the stand.
Quispe stupidly tripped his man from behind, right outside the box and we had our first big moment as Mata sized up the opportunity. Quintal was the draft excluder as the tight wall stood in the way, but the World Cup winner clipped a magnificent free-kick over the wall and in-off the post, the bank of Victory fans rising as one to salute the set piece master. Apostolos Stamatelopoulos almost walked the ball into the net down at our end, dribbling along the byline only to be denied by the goalkeeper and the action was heating up. Just as half-time was drawing to a close, we had plenty of drama, serial pantomime villain Roderick Miranda pushing over Popovic and Victor Campuzano in front of the referee but somehow escaping a card after a talking-to. A corner saw Popovic thunder a header off the bar, and in the melee that followed he stooped to head home the rebound but the high foot was in his face, the stadium calling for and expecting a penalty and it sure looked like a water-tight case. Popovic couldn’t believe it when he got to his feet, no penalty and boos from the crowd. That was nailed on!
That was the last action of the first half, it was time for a walk around. Mini balls were being hoofed into the crowd on halfway, and there were familiar faces in the Victory end, a number of fans from around the country catching up with friends from Melbourne.
Okon-Engstler barged over his opponent at the start of the second half, perhaps payback for the early big hit, and escaped a booking, Mata was not so fortunate when preventing Quispe from breaking quickly with an arm around his waist. Sydney were frustrating to watch, trying to play too intricately and making wrong decisions or no decision at all, a real throwback to the garbage from the late Corica era here at Allianz Stadium. Ben Garrucio bent a free kick from the right up the far end that almost caught out the goalkeeper, who leapt late to palm the ball away. The same player then drove up the left and crossed, Campuzano seemed disinterested and then reacted late, stabbing the ball goalwards, but a good chance had gone begging.
No sooner had that chance gone, Victory made it two, and the ease with which captain Rhyan Grant was taken out of the game was alarming as the tall non-Japanese-looking Japanese striker Charles Nduka had all the time in the world to turn and shoot under HDM. Rhyno seemed to be summoned to the sideline for a ticking off, Ufuk Talay not believing the shit defending he had just witnessed. Fans were muttering – a tap on the shoulder may be coming sooner rather than later – and the stadium was seething with disgust at what was unfolding.
No worries! Sydney suddenly switched on and scored two of the simplest goals you’ll see, first Garrucio crossing straight onto Stama’s head to reduce the deficit, and then moments later a ball inside the defender set Al Hassan Toure away, who drew the goalkeeper and clipped the ball into the path of Arslan who couldn’t miss. 2-2 and the stadium was rocking to this unexpected turnaround in fortunes and unexpected simple football. It was raining undercover in Cove Heights, the design of the stadium again under question, as Sydney poured forward. We had the stretcher out, mimicking the Women’s Asian Cup, when Miranda was cleaned up by his own goalkeeper before Stama turned in the area to fire on goal, the ball squirming around the penalty area, but hacked clear. Toure pinged in another marvellous cross that Stama looked close to getting onto, but the nine minutes of added time couldn’t find a winner, Garuccio the second victim of a high foot near the sideline and again disbelieving when it wasn’t given.
A swift exit into the rain saw us head to Cheers bar on the light rail to consume the Japan v India hiding in the Women’s Asian Cup, while the South Korea fans took in the baseball and contemplated their chances at tomorrow’s big game at Accor Stadium. Ditching the FA Cup game where Mansfield were holding Arsenal, we were home in the North West suburbs of Sydney not long after midnight, straight to bed to be refreshed for another big football game the following day.
This had been a lot of fun. Our interstate visitors had experienced all the emotions at Allianz Stadium, from the pride of the massive tifo and We Are Sydney chant, the admiration of the Juan Mata free kick, to the despair at going two down and the quick-fire relief and delight at bringing the scores level. The frustration at not winning was short-lived and the high of a football match surrounded by fellow nailed-on fans of the round ball game was a treat. Where next for Sydney FC? Ah yes, a potential clash with the Melbourne City game and the Matildas – big screen at Allianz after the game?