Owes the team massively too 

 You could say same about Bruno missing good chance to score and not doing a lot else. Arzani had some decent shots at goal which doesn’t equal garbage. And no way was that ‘penalty’ his fault. 

For all that I think Fornaroli is a better striker, Machach has that invaluable skill of being able to create havoc from nothing.

If he isn't shooting, Machach is always drawing defenders but you can still pass to him like that and have him make something of it. You can mark Fornaroli out of the game if you stick with it but Machach you always have to cover in case he gets away from his first marker.

Ideally you have both on the field and you are a better side for it.

Ref was fine.

Shit went both ways.

Is that the ball to hand off Arzani?


If so I agree , not a pen.

Congrats to Vic!

Just watched the whole game over the last two nights.

 I'm sure most Melb Vic fans will disagree, but over the season Vic have played  some superb possession football in the back two thirds of the  pitch, but lacked  composure around goals. Or this is  definitely the case in the second half of the season since Fornaroli went away with the Socceroos for the Asian Cup. Have only had Paramount Plus and seen most games in the second half of the  AL season

In the games I've seen Vic and Nix play this season, the Kiwis have looked sharper in both pen boxes, defence and offence, but Vic have played some aesthetically pleasing  passing football building up  from defence to attack. Valadon being on the pitch  enhances this to an even better level. 

I've been impressed with Valadon's technique on the ball for the Olyroos,  and in the second semi leg on a  better Kiwi pitch then the first leg in Melb.   He just needs to win more hard balls, more  consistently. Valadon is a more useful acquisition than Brimmer in structured possession build ups, despite Brimmer being  the superior ball winner and dead ball exponent.

It seems the Nix's Rufer, Paine and and Old have improved immeasurably this season.

Not sure about the Nix CBs and LB, or Paulsen the keeper, what nationality they are? The Nix have been a terrific defensive unit in Ball Possession Opposition.

Just wonder if Vic having so much depth has contributed to some players not playing enough minutes to hit top form?

Good points made.

I think Nix's pace over the turf was quite a worry for Vic.

Old and Paine seemed to burn Vic players for speed over the turf. A few times when both were Running With The Ball at their feet they were still too fast for Victory players chasing them without the ball!

Particularly playing away in Melb the Nix tended to rely on accelerated attacks, keeping the  defensive compact in defence - with a Half Press in Ball Possession Opposition. For a few seconds they Gegenpressed in the attacking third, then quickly retreated to the safer Half Press in  BPO. All  done pretty effectively  from the Kiwi team.

In the second fixture in Wellington, Vic played a deeper defensive line in BPO, more of a three quarter press.  Popa did not want to be exposed to the speedy Wellington accelerated attacks. There was probably another fast Nix ball carrier, as well as Old and Paine. The deeper Vic defensive line forced Nix to build up  more patiently, which they probably didn't want to do.

I  surmise the shot count favoured Nix over the two legs in and outside the pen box. In  the first leg, Vic struggled to get many shots  from inside the pen box for most of the game.