Sydney FC stretches win streak over Melbourne Victory to six matches

SYDNEY FC’s dominance over Melbourne Victory has reached epic proportions after the champion stretched its win streak to six games over its old rival.

Bobo celebrates scoring Sydney’s first goal.

IT was a dark and stormy night on Swan Street.

And Sydney FC once again proved that lightning does strike twice.

Well, more than twice. Six times actually, as that is now the win streak the imperious Sky Blues have over Melbourne Victory.

This is a head-to-head dominance of epic proportions, one demonstrated no better than the fact that in four of those games Sydney has come from a goal down to win - as it did on Friday night.

Bobo celebrates scoring Sydney’s first goal.

The build up to this “Big Blue” was huge, with an in-form Victory given every chance of knocking off a Sydney outfit that had stuttered to three draws and a win from four games.

But as it has done so often throughout a streak that has now seen it lose just two of its last 47 matches, Graham Arnold’s side brought a potential title challenger back to earth.

And with its 3-1 loss at AAMI Park, Victory fell with such a thud that the sodden turf could in no way soften the blow.

Bobo (left) contests with Leigh Broxham.

The hosts started like a house on fire in the driving rain, setting the tone for what was an enthralling match despite the muggy conditions.

In the first 10 minutes the hosts had five shots to nil and 59 per cent possession.

But from the 15-minute mark onwards the defending champions not only got themselves back into the contest, they controlled it, with Adrian Mierzejewski brilliant in attack and fullbacks Michael Zullo and Luke Wilkshire a dangerous threat on the flanks.

Besart Berisha opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 58th minute.

Brandon O'Neill (left) tangles with Carl Valeri.

But that goal only served to flick Sydney’s switch, with the ladder-leaders then scoring three goals in a barnstorming 24-minute period that reinforced why it is going to be a tough slog for any team to deny them back-to-back championships.

Arnold said he felt his side was gaining the ascendancy in the match from late in the first half, however said Berisha’s goal “sparked us” to life.

The Sydney coach said his team takes pride in its winning streak against Victory.

“Sometimes you think you have (a psychological edge) when you read some quotes from their players before we play them,” Arnold said.

“It gives us quite a bit of energy.

“But every game is about preparing right for the opposition and Melbourne is like our old derby, before the Wanderers, the Big Blue is a big stage with big crowds and to come here and win 3-1 is a big result.”

Bobo scored twice - he now has 18 goals this season - the first from a header from a Wilkshire cross on the hour mark, the second from the penalty spot after he was taken down by Jason Geria in the 77th minute.

That led to Geria being sent off as it was his second yellow card of the night.

Muscat said he felt the decision to award a penalty against Geria was fair, but he was angered by the non-decision regarding Mierzejewski’s stray elbow on Williams early in the second half, which left the defender lying on the pitch for a couple of minutes.

The Polish attacker was already on a yellow card, so easily could have been sent off, but no booking was made.

“I could see there was contact,” Muscat said.

“He’d already been on a yellow card. (The VAR) must have (looked at it), they can intervene if they think it’s a direct red and he’s made contact with his elbow.

“Surely it’s a yellow card and he’s already on a yellow card. So it was another big moment.

“When you’re on the top of the table the big decisions tend to go for you.”

Substitute David Carney put the icing on the cake six minutes later after being slid through by Mierzejewski, who played a direct hand in all three goals.

Bobo charges past Valeri.

Geria will be suspended for Victory’s trip to high-flying Newcastle next week.

Brandon O’Neill will miss Sydney’s clash with Wellington after picking up a fifth booking.

Kevin Muscat made four changes to the line-up that defeated Western Sydney 3-0 last week, one of which was forced by Leroy George’s hamstring complaint.

James Donachie got his first minutes off the bench for Victory since tearing his quad off the bone in Round 2.

SYDNEY FC 3 (Bobo 60, 78 pen, Carney 84) MELBOURNE VICTORY 1 (Berisha 58 pen)

At AAMI Park

Crowd: 21,037

Referee: Jarred Gillett

CARDS

VICTORY

Yellow: Williams, Geria

SYDNEY

Yellow: Mierzejewski, Wilkshire, O’Neill

RED CARDS

Victory: Geria

WINDLEY’S MAN OF THE MATCH

Adrian Mierzejewski (Sydney)

The Polish flyer was an utterly dominant attacking force, playing a key hand in each of his side’s three goals.

VICTORY’S W-LEAGUE CHANCES GONE

MELBOURNE Victory’s slim W-League finals chances have officially been snuffed out after suffering a 2-1 home loss to Sydney FC last night.

With two games to play until finals Victory women needed to win both of their matches and hope for lots of results around them to fall their way.

But Jeff Hopkins’ side couldn’t uphold their end of the bargain at AAMI Park, falling behind early and failing to recover.

Taylor Ray, on her starting debut, opened the scoring for the visitors in the fourth minute before Chloe Logarzo doubled the advantage with a scorching strike from the top of the box on the half-hour mark.

A Lia Privitelli header just after the break set up a grandstand finish as the weather closed in, but the equaliser wouldn’t come.

Victory finishes its season away to Adelaide next week.

Sydney, meanwhile, all but sealed its spot in the playoffs with its win, jumping level on points with ladder-leading Brisbane Roar.