Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC have put on a football show, playing out an entertaining 3-3 draw in front of over 25,000 fans at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.
Victory veteran Archie Thompson rolled back the years with a timeless hat-trick in another classic Big Blue encounter.
Sydney marksman Shane Smeltz scored an excellent brace for the visitors with Austrian marquee man Marc Janko rounding off the scoring for the visitors on a pulsating evening.
However, Victory might find themselves without Mark Milligan for next week’s derby clash against Melbourne City after the skipper escaped punishment for a bruising elbow into the face of fellow Socceroo Terry Antonis in the first half.
After a cagey opening, Fahid Ben Khalfallah found Besart Berisha whose shot was well saved by Vedran Janjetovic, only for a scramble to fall to Thompson who put it in the back of the net on the second attempt after Janjetovic’s initial save.
The visitors would level the scores five minutes later after a clever flick on by Smeltz found Janko who tucked the ball home past Nathan Coe despite a strong suspicion of offside.
The game’s flashpoint occurred mid-way through the first half when Milligan left an elbow in on Antonis with Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold furious with the referee’s decision to let the Victory skipper off without a card with match official Peter Green claiming to have not seen the incident.
If that is the case, the Match Review Panel could find Milligan guilty of foul play and suspend him for next Saturday’s derby clash against City at AAMI Park.
The Sky Blues were then unlucky not to take the lead as Bernie Ibini found Alex Brosque who managed to clatter the left-hand post much to the relief of Kevin Muscat and the rest of the Victory squad.
Victory once again found themselves in front on the stroke of half time as Kosta Barbarouses raced clear and set up Thompson, who blasted his effort past Janjetovic to give the hosts a priceless lead going into the break.
Sydney came out of the interval the better of the two sides and equalised for the second time when Alex Gersbach found the head of Smeltz from the corner with the experienced Kiwi striker slotting the ball home.
Muscat’s men almost regained the lead afterwards with both Ben Khalfallah and the lively Barbarouses coming close to scoring a third and regaining the lead for the home side.
However, it would be Sydney who secured the lead after Smeltz scored his second with a classic striker’s finish in the 76th minute to silence much of the Etihad crowd.
The former Glory striker received the ball from Dimitrijevic with his back to goal before turning his body forward and placing himself for the shot from just inside the attacking box.
The lead would only be temporary as Thompson completed his hat trick two minutes later after a clever one-two with Berisha before slotting the ball past Janjetovic in Sydney goal.
The league’s two all-time leading scorers challenged each other on the night with Thompson getting the better of Smeltz with the former Socceroo pushing ahead in the all-time goals count 85-80.
Both sides had chances to win the game with Coe getting down well to save Sebastian Ryall’s late header before Berisha was denied at the death as Janjetovic superbly denied the Albanian from grabbing a late winner.
Victory consolidate their second place position on the ladder but will be frustrated by not grabbing all three points to increase the pressure on the table topping Glory, while Sydney FC remain in fourth.
Melbourne Victory 3 (Thompson 12′ 45+2′ 82′) drew with Sydney FC 3 (Janko 17′, Smeltz 51′ 76′)
Melbourne Victory: 1. Nathan Coe (GK), 2. Jason Geria (4. Nick Ansell 69′), 5. Mark Milligan, 6. Leigh Broxham, 8. Besart Berisha, 9. Kosta Barbarouses, 10. Archie Thompson (22. Jesse Makarounas 81′), 14. Fahid Ben Khalfallah (11. Connor Pain 69′), 18. Dylan Murnane, 23. Adrian Leijer
Unused Subs: 20. Lawrence Thomas (GK), 16. Rashid Mahazi,
Yellow Cards: Barbarouses 62′, Broxham 74′
Red Cards: None
Sydney FC: 20. Vedran Janjetovic (GK), 2. Sebastian Ryall, 4, Pedj Bojic, 6. Nikola Petkovic, 8. Milos Dimitrijevic, 9. Shane Smeltz, 11. Bernie Ibini, 14. Alex Brosque (19. Nick Carle 90+2′), 16. Alex Gersbach (23. Rhyan Grant 57′), 17. Terry Antonis, 21. Marc Janko (18. Peter Triantis 81′)
Unused Subs: 1. Ivan Necevski (GK), 25. Aaron Calver
Yellow Cards: Petkovic 87′, Carle 90+3′
Red Cards: None