MVFC Blog

The Melbourne Victory lost yesterday to the Newcastle Jets, but put on a good show for the 8,500 fans who turned out at Skillet Stadium in Geelong for the Pre-Season Cup match.

Carlos Hernández made his first appearance for the Victory, coming on 15 minutes into the 2nd half to a welcoming roar of support. But he was unable to help Melbourne come back after Newcastle scored the winning goal several minutes into the 51st minute.

We made the road-trip down to Geelong and were impressed with the turnout. Even more impressive though, were Melbourne’s new recruits: Matthew Kemp was committed in defence and drove forward on a number of occasions; Joe Keenan, who started in an attacking position but was returned to midfield at half-time, played tenaciously and impressed with his versatility; Kaz Patafta gave credence to Gary’s call that the 18-year old is the next Harry Kewell, as his sharp, quick feet opened up a number of attacks; and finally, there was Hernández, who only had 30 minutes to impress, but used what time he had to fire a number of long-range shots and deliver one excellent free kick.

But alas, goals were not forthcoming. Newcastle effectively locked down Danny Allsopp, taking advantage of Archie Thompson’s absence. The 1-0 loss puts Melbourne at the bottom of Group A, though a decisive win against Perth in Darwin next week could launch them right back to the top of the ladder (remember, there’s bonus points for scoring multiple goals).

In Group B, the Queensland Roar and Central Coast Mariners settled for a 1-1 draw. Far more interesting, though, was Wellington’s shellacking of a weakened Sydney side. The Phoenix’ first major home game was enjoyed by over 6,000 fans, who were treated to an impressive and comfortable 3-0 victory. The win puts the Phoenix on the top of Group B alongside the Mariners.