Melbourne Victory v Adelaide United – Sunday 9 January 2011
This season we will be looking ahead to the Reds’ Hyundai A-League matches by rolling back the clock and revisiting some of the clubs most memorable clashes against our upcoming opponents.
With the highly anticipated derby between Adelaide United and our bitter rivals, Melbourne Victory, set to light up Adelaide Oval on Friday evening, we take a look at one of the most intense rivalries known to the A-League and in particular a match from the 2010/11 season.
Going into the match, both United and Victory were looking to bounce back from defeats to Brisbane Roar and Wellington Phoenix respectively. But it was Victory who had all the confidence, as they were enjoying a 10-game winning streak against Adelaide.
Yet all that confidence was shaken from Victory players and fans alike, when Argentine attacking midfielder, Marcos Flores, put United 1-0 up 12 minutes in with a great half-volley, after a brilliant knock-down by Travis Dodd.
For the remainder of the first half, the Reds pressured Victory relentlessly, and in the second 45 the floodgates opened. In the 57th minute a simply unstoppable strike from United striker, Sergio van Dijk, had Adelaide leading by two, after his 25-yard free-kick rifled into the top left-hand corner.
By the 75th minute our lead was extended to three when substitute, Fabian Barbiero, scored with his first touch of the match after the Victory defence was unable to clear a United corner. Three minutes later van Dijk put his body on the line to grab his second and the Reds’ fourth, colliding with Melbourne goalkeeper, Michael Petkovic, as the Dutchman bundled the ball home.
Victory grabbed a consolation goal in second half stoppage-time through Mate Dugandzic, but it was too little, too late for the Victorians with United ending their 10-game loosing streak in emphatic fashion.
The win saw the Reds secure a spot in the top two, as well as spur us on to record our biggest ever A-League win the following week, winning 8-1 against North Queensland Fury at Coopers Stadium. We would eventually go on to finish third in the domestic league before bowing out of the finals in the second week against Gold Coast United.
If you would like to relive this beautiful moment further, click here to watch van Dijk’s missile free-kick for yourself.
Match Details
Sunday, 9 January 2011
Hyundai A-League 2010/11 Season – Round 25
Melbourne Victory FC 1 (Dugandzic 90+4’)
Adelaide United FC 4 (Flores 12’, van Dijk 57’ 78’, Barbiero 75’)
Venue: AAMI Park
Crowd: 18,558
Adelaide United take on Melbourne Victory on Friday 17 October 2014, at Adelaide Oval in Round 2 of the Hyundai A-League 2014/15 season. Kick-off is at 7:10pm ACDT. To purchase tickets, click here.
