Victory claim derby win at the death

Updated December 23, 2012 09:16:26

Melbourne Victory striker Archie Thompson pinched a winner deep in injury-time to secure a pulsating 2-1 A-League derby triumph over crosstown rivals Melbourne Heart at AAMI Park on Saturday night.

Thompson netted via the crossbar two minutes into injury time to snatch all three points and sink the Heart, who had grabbed an equaliser just minutes earlier.

The win lifts the Victory to third place and leaves the Heart third from bottom.

The Victory took the lead with Marco Rojas' 67th-minute goal - a wonderfully-worked move sweeping through Thompson, Gui Finkler and Mark Milligan before the New Zealander finished sweetly.

But the Heart looked to have earned a share of the points when skipper Fred, who had missed his side's two best chances of the match earlier, leapt high to meet a superb Michael Marrone cross and finish.

Then the Heart lost possession in the middle of the park in injury time.

Rojas grabbed the ball and sent a slide-rule pass to Thompson, whose shot hit the crossbar and crept just inside before Heart defender Aziz Behich thumped it out in vain.

With more than 26,000 watching on, it was a first half of desperate defence - four shots blocked, cleared off the line or deflected to safety in a spirited opening 45 minutes.

Fred had the Heart's two best chances, squandering a first-half opportunity on 32 minutes when he shot dreadfully from Behich's superb run to the byline and cross.

But he went within a coat of paint of a spectacular goal six minutes after halftime, controlling then thumping a wonderful long-range volley just wide of the top corner.

Heart attacker David Williams, who had terrorised the Victory defence all night, then could have won the game for his side five minutes from time with a thundering volley.

But Victory goalkeeper Nathan Coe made a superb diving save.

Williams then gave away possession for the move which led to Thompson's winner.

Heart coach John Aloisi lamented his side's lack of cutting edge having had the better chances in the match, but felt his team at least deserved a draw, if not all three points.

"We were the team that was trying to go for the win, and we lost the ball in a bad area and they caught us on the counter," Aloisi said.

"We felt we could go on and win the game. They showed really good character and spirit.

"They (the players) are distraught. But we've got a game in a few days against Wellington and we've got to pick ourselves up and get on with it."

The Heart will go into the match without central defenders Simon Colosimo and Patrick Gerhardt, who both picked up yellow cards to exceed their limit and earn automatic one-match bans.

Victory assistant coach Kevin Muscat - deputising post-match for coach Ange Postecoglou, who left immediately after the game because of a family bereavement - felt his side had done enough to deserve the points.

"I thought we showed great belief and we controlled the game for long periods," Muscat said.

Melbourne Victory: 2 (Rojas 66', Thompson 90+2')

Melbourne Heart: 1 (Fred (81')

AAP

Tags: sport, soccer, a-league, melbourne-3000, australia

First posted December 22, 2012 22:32:32

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Kewell disgusted as Victory denied at death

Updated February 02, 2012 15:55:48

Gold Coast captain Michael Thwaite bagged an injury-time equaliser as another Melbourne Victory meltdown resulted in a 1-1 draw in Wednesday night's A-League clash at York Park.

Thwaite slammed his equaliser into the net and erupted into wild celebrations as his side avoided a third straight loss and consigned the Victory to more soul-searching after a match they had dominated slipped away.

Harry Kewell had put the Melbourne side in front with a free-kick set-piece in the 66th minute after proving a constant menace to United's defence.

An emotional Kewell expressed his frustration in a post-match interview.

"It's disgusting. It's happening week in, week out," Kewell told Fox Sports.

"There's no excuses for that.

"We've got to take a good look at ourselves."

Victory certainly let many chances go begging, with Archie Thompson the main offender, and the Victory now find themselves needing to beat crosstown rivals Melbourne Heart in Saturday's derby to keep their finals chances alive.

Kewell, though, might have had a double after he was denied in controversial circumstances in the 32nd minute when his header from a throw-in was batted into play by Gold Coast keeper Chris O'Connor, who appeared to do so from behind the goal-line.

Desperately needing maximum points ahead of the clash with the Heart in just three days' time, the Victory leave Launceston with a second confidence-sapping fade-out in a week.

It might have been worse but for keeper Ante Covic with the Socceroos representative producing some stunning reflex saves after some early defensive wobbles.

The Coast took a step towards avoiding the wooden spoon but back up their visit to Tasmania with the tough trip to Perth for a clash with the Glory on Monday.

After a 0-0 half-time scoreline, the Victory exploded out of the blocks after the break, seemingly creating chances at will but were unable to convert.

Two yellow cards in four minutes to desperate United defenders, though, resulted in Kewell nailing his second free-kick set-piece chance in the 66th minute and the Victory led 1-0.

With the majority of the 5,268 crowd willing them on, they held off some late raids from United, including a superb free kick from Golgol Mebrathu which produced another superb Covic save, but could not hold off the one that counted.

Like Kewell, Victory coach Jim Magilton bemoaned the soft touch the club has exhibited throughout the season.

"Obviously it's been a disease at the club this season," said Magilton, still winless after four games in charge.

"We just need to win a game.

"We have to be more resilient ... I thought we'd done enough to win that game."

While United coach Miron Bleiberg hailed Thwaite's run as Beckenbauer-esque, the skipper himself was more down to earth.

"I do two or three a game where I try and stream through without much action around me," he said.

"I just tried to roll the dice at the end of the game. I think I got a lucky nutmeg."

Magilton said skipper Adrian Leijer and Kewell (both shoulder) would be likely to play with pain at AAMI Park on Saturday.

Melbourne Victory: 1 (H Kewell 66')

Gold Coast United: 1 (M Thwaite 90+3')

AAP

Tags: sport, a-league, soccer, melbourne-3000, robina-4226, qld, australia, launceston-7250

First posted February 01, 2012 21:34:15

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Gary Speed death may have been accidental: coroner

Updated January 31, 2012 06:37:08

Wales football team manager Gary Speed may have taken his own life by accident, a British coroner has ruled.

Speed was found hanged at his home in November.

Following his death, the Welsh Football Association said it appeared the 42-year-old took his own life.

But overnight coroner Nicholas Rheinberg said there was not enough evidence to determine whether the act was intentional or accidental.

Earlier Speed's wife Louise had told the hearing that she had a text conversation with him four days before he died in which he talked about taking his own life but then dismissed it.

She said the text referred to their "ups and downs" but expressed excitement at the future with her and their two sons, speaking of "how important the boys were" and about "moving forward".

Speed made his name at Leeds and played a key role as United won the English First Division title in 1992.

He went on to play for Everton, Newcastle, Bolton and Sheffield United before being appointed manager of Wales after retiring as a player.

ABC/AFP

Tags: suicide, sport, soccer, united-kingdom, england, wales

First posted January 31, 2012 06:37:08

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Young Matildas facing sudden death

Updated October 11, 2011 16:55:21

Australia is facing a sudden death situation in its bid to qualify for next year's under 20 women's World Cup.

The Young Matildas were defeated 1-0 by Japan at the Asian U19 championship in Vietnam on Monday, the loss leaving the team in a precarious position heading into Thursday's clash against South Korea.

With the side needing finish in the top half of the six-team tournament to qualify for the World Cup, coach Jeff Hopkins says there is still time to turn things around.

"Obviously we can digest the loss (to Japan), but we must remind ourselves that our destiny is still in our hands," he said.

The loss to Japan left the Young Matilda's with a 1-2 win-loss record, having beaten host nation Vietnam on Friday before falling 1-0 to North Korea in Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday.

AAP

Tags: soccer, sport, australia

First posted October 11, 2011 16:55:21

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Young Matildas facing sudden death

Updated October 11, 2011 16:55:21

Australia is facing a sudden death situation in its bid to qualify for next year's under 20 women's World Cup.

The Young Matildas were defeated 1-0 by Japan at the Asian U19 championship in Vietnam on Monday, the loss leaving the team in a precarious position heading into Thursday's clash against South Korea.

With the side needing finish in the top half of the six-team tournament to qualify for the World Cup, coach Jeff Hopkins says there is still time to turn things around.

"Obviously we can digest the loss (to Japan), but we must remind ourselves that our destiny is still in our hands," he said.

The loss to Japan left the Young Matilda's with a 1-2 win-loss record, having beaten host nation Vietnam on Friday before falling 1-0 to North Korea in Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday.

AAP

Tags: soccer, sport, australia

First posted October 11, 2011 16:55:21

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