Victory v Ulsan Hyundai: Crunch time for Melbourne’s Asian ambitions

MELBOURNE Victory’s Asian Champions League away clash with Ulsan Hyundai is one of the most momentous games in the history of Australia’s biggest soccer club.

MELBOURNE Victory has won three A-League championships and played in another grand final.

But make no mistake, Wednesday’s Asian Champions League clash with Ulsan Hyundai is one of the most momentous games in the history of Australia’s biggest soccer club.

It may be the penultimate game of the group stage, but this is where progression to the knockout stage will be achieved or thrown away.

Victory are desperate to get one over Ulsan Hyundai. Picture: Getty Images

If Victory was to win it will make the Round of 16 for just the second time in its history.

Lose and it is out.

A draw would keep things alive for Kevin Muscat’s side going into the final group game against Shanghai SIPG at AAMI Park, but would also see them being reliant on Ulsan tripping up away to Group F straggler Kawasaki Frontale.

Victory’s off-season recruiting drive was built primarily around giving itself the best possible chance of succeeding in Asia.

While the Australian public continues to be slow on the uptake of the significance of the Champions League, there is no mistaking the importance Victory places on the tournament.

From the chairman to the kit man, Victory is hellbent on achieving Asian success.

Progression to the Round of 16 for the first time two years ago was a step in the right direction, but its gut-wrenching loss at that stage still burns considering its conqueror — South Korea’s Jeonbuk Motors — went on to win the title.

Melbourne Victory couldn’t get past Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in 2016. Picture: AFP

Western Sydney is the only Australian side to have won the ACL.

That is not something that sits right with Victory movers and shakers.

So the pressure on achieving success in Korea this week is huge, both internally and from an expectant fan base.

Doing so would be significant in several ways, the most obvious being progression to the next stage.

Victory is still yet to win overseas in 18 attempts. What better way to get the monkey off the back?

A win on foreign soil would also be a huge statement of intent in regards to its aspirations of winning the whole tournament.

But just as importantly, with its final group game to come just days before an A-League elimination final, the ability to play a second-string side against Shanghai if already qualified would be a huge boost to its domestic hopes.

The stakes have rarely been higher.

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Originally published as Victory v Ulsan Hyundai: Crunch time for Melbourne’s Asian ambitions