It’s 4am on a Friday morning and I’m preparing for the short flight to Adelaide, but what do I pack? The boarding pass, toiletries – and every bit of Melbourne Victory apparel I could find in the house.
It was quarter past five in the morning when I arrived at Tullamarine airport, ready for the beginning of just my fourth away trip. A little under 14 hours away from kick-off, and Adelaide United vs Melbourne Victory is the glimmer of hope that lightens yet another tough week.
I boarded the plane and unleash a wave to the other supporters on my flight, with the anticipation of a huge night of football building. And with that, I disembark from the plane with a smile on my face, decked out in Victory gear as the glares begin from the United faithful.
After dropping off my bags at the hotel, I make my way into the CBD in search of fellow fans, and it didn’t take long for me to start hearing chants from the rooftops, with Adelaide suddenly awash in a sea of blue.
I run into a mate and he has the idea to shave the initials – MV – into his hair, as a display of pure passion for the club. So we head to the barber and begin to tell them all about the wonderful team that is Melbourne Victory, as she shaves the lettering into the side of his now bare head.
The sea of blue begins to become surreal, as we head back to the hotel and down the sweet taste of Coronas while we await fellow fans to arrive at the pub. The Duke is the destination as more and more fans make their way to the pub by the minute.
“YOU HAVE TO LIVE HERE, WE GET TO GO HOME,” the Victory fans chant from the balcony as we mock the opposition fans with typical game day banter. And before long, hundreds of fans crowd outside to begin a march to Adelaide Oval.
We are all more than pumped for the game, with the adrenaline running through our veins. And we begin to make our way to the stadium, screaming at the top of our lungs.
“MELBOURNE BOYS ARE STILL NUMBER ONE,” we exclaim as we remind the city of Adelaide about the Grand Final victories that saw them destroyed in both 2007 and 2009.
We pass the Red Army on the way to the ground, and the pre-game banter begins. It becomes a chant-off, as the travelling fans out number and out-sing the Adelaide faithful, at least to our recollection.
The march is complete and we then begin to head into the ground in preparation for kick-off, United the ones to get the game rolling to the pleasure of the entire stadium.
Adelaide begin to create multiple chances early, and the nerves begin to mount as my stomach churns with hope that we might get a result from our first away game of the season.
Gui Finkler goes agonizingly close to scoring, and the entire travelling support let out an agonizing groan at once. Over 1900 Victory fans have made the trip, and desperately want the boys to pull off a result.
The second half heats up as both sides continue to press, but the home fans begin to give us away fans a mouthful. But we continue to sing, with a huge away contingent bellowing the chants we all know so well. And with less than 10 minutes remaining, it becomes a case of desperation.
The Reds continue to push and Cirio puts one in the back of the net, and all you can do is put your head in your arms. We are silent, 1900 fans thinking we were heading home in disappointment. The home fans ridicule us, as it looked like it was them that would be the happier in five minutes time.
But Fahid Ben Khalfallah had other ideas.
Finkler sends in a corner and we all lean forward – literally on the edge of our seats, and some people standing on their seats, hoping for a miracle. And as we hoped for so desperately, Ben Khalfallah sticks out a boot and hammers it into the top of the net on the volley. The reaction is indescribable – near 2000 fans jumping on top of each other and screaming – as beer and food covers us all.
We have somehow conjured a point out of nowhere, and are still undefeated. Hugs and jumping begin to crowd an entire section as we scream out the tune of Seven Nation Army, the song played when we score at home games. And the 31000 United fans go silent, a feeling that is ever so pleasing in a rivalry of this magnitude.
The final whistle blows and it’s absolute ecstasy in the away bay – you would have thought we’d won the game.
We all exit the stadium chanting and celebrating, while subtly sticking it to the United fans who gave so much to us when they thought they had won. After post-match celebrations it was time to head back to the hotel room, knowing a good night’s sleep awaited after such a long but incredible day.
And heading back on the plane the next morning, it was definitely an away trip that could be considered a success – one every Victory fan should add to their bucket list.