Melbourne Victory beat Sydney FC 1-0 in Big Blue after late own goal by Matt Jurman

IT wasn’t as convincing as last season’s A-League grand final but Melbourne Victory’s win over Sydney FC was crucial as the season nears a critical stage.

IT wasn’t as convincing as last season’s A-League grand final but Melbourne Victory’s win over Sydney FC was crucial as the season nears a critical stage.

A month out from their respective Asian Champions League openers, Victory secured a late 1-0 win via a Matt Jurman own goal.

It didn’t match the drama of previous battles but least concerned will be Kevin Muscat, whose side rose above Sydney FC on goal difference (both 27 points) to fourth and within a point of Melbourne City and Brisbane Roar.

Both coaches know points are crucial ahead of their Asian campaigns as the schedule becomes hectic, and the teams looked as though they feared losing as chances were rare.

Despite a stellar debut, teenager Stefan Nigro was dropped from the squad with Daniel Georgievski (suspension) and Jason Geria (Olyroos duty) returning.

Kosta Barbarouses is chased by Rhyan Grant.

Sydney Olyroos duo Brandon O’Neill and Andrew Hoole joined Geria on the bench while Alex Gersbach, whose attracting strong European interest, didn’t make the cut after the delayed flight debacle from the failed Rio 2016 qualifiers.

But Hoole and Geria, regulars before departing for Qatar, were on within 15 minutes of the restart with Rashid Mahazi sacrificed for Victory as Leigh Broxham moved from right-back to midfield.

Victory all of a sudden had a greater sense of urgency as several chances were created within the next few minutes after a dour first hour.

The game may have opened up had Besart Berisha converted his second minute chance, after Gui Finkler’s clever dink over the Sydney FC defence, but Vedran Janjetovic was alert.

Besart Berisha attempts a shot on goal.

Instead the first half descended into an arm wrestle, though former Victory player and now nemesis Seb Ryall did his best to get under the skin of former fans in the eighth minute but his header was saved by Danny Vukovic.

Finkler added spark to the contest when his studs collected the shin of striker Matt Simon, who needed treatment.

His Sydney FC teammates spent the next few minutes trying to exact revenge on the Brazilian, whose nifty footwork meant he generally avoided the Sky Blue bullets.

The off-side flag spared Vukovic’s blushes after he fumbled Chris Naumoff’s long-range strike with Simon lurking.

The second half started quicker as Berisha found himself in dangerous positions several times, but blasted over the bar before Barbarouses’ cross lacked conviction enabling Jacques Faty to clear.

Sebastian Ryall connects with his header for goal but the attempt was saved.

Though Mahazi wasn’t poor, Broxham was again a better fit in midfield as his presence and determination to play forward quickly provided a spark and gave Victory’s front four more time and space to attack Sydney’s rock-solid defence.

Broxham lasted there 14 minutes before he returned to defence as Nick Ansell was sacrificed for Jesse Makarounas, but it paid rich dividends.

Makarounas wasn’t scared to get his hands dirty, but his clever pass and run created a goal which he very nearly claimed.

Oliver Bozanic and Geria fed Makarounas, who played to Barbarouses and entered the box. With Mickael Tavares failing to track, the Kiwi released him and Makarounas’ cross was deflected into the net by Jurman.

Berisha went on a crazy late solo but ran out of puff at the end, while the immense Matthieu Delpierre and Broxham repelled Sydney’s late forays to win a second successive game for the first time in two months.

Originally published as Melbourne Victory beat Sydney FC 1-0 in Big Blue after late own goal by Matt Jurman