A Kosta Barbarouses strike has earned Melbourne Victory a courageous 1-1 draw against Suwon Bluewings in South Korea on Wednesday night.
The Australian side was forced to ride a wave of pressure, particularly in the first half, but clung on for dear life and was rewarded with a dogged draw for a precious point.
They were first to be examined defensively, almost made to pay for a miscued Leigh Broxham clearance in the 19th minute, but the skipper recovered excellently to make a crucial intervention on the goal-line to deny Kwon Chang-hoon. It was the visitors’ nerviest moment amid an opening 25 minutes that were spent predominantly under the pump, with Suwon quick to gain the upper hand.
Kim Gun-hee was next to pepper the Victory goal, firing just wide of Lawrence Thomas’ right post after some sloppy Melbourne play. The young gloveman was called into action again soon after, making an incredible reflex save off Lee Sang-ho’s head in an otherwise helpless situation.
Somehow Victory emerged from the opening half unscathed, but their luck ran out after 57 minutes. Chang-hoon calmly stroked past Thomas after finding his way in behind a static Victory defence, kicking off a frantic two-minute period.
Matthieu Delpierre galloped through midfield to create an opening with Barbarouses left to do the rest, smashing home across goal.
Victory might well have snatched all three points, first through Besart Berisha followed by George Howard at the death. Nevertheless, Victory walk away with a hard-earned that leaves them with six points, now second on the table and in an excellent position to advance, particularly after bottom side Gamba Osaka was bested at home by Shanghai SIPG.
Here’s how Group G looks after Match Day 4. We’re in a great position to progress to knockout stage #ACL2016 #MVFC pic.twitter.com/FuCvo8ZPZV
— Melbourne Victory (@gomvfc) April 6, 2016
Suwon did their homework
Right from kick-off, Suwon piled the pressure on the travelling Victory and it was immediately clear the K-League side had done its homework on the A-League champions. Deployed in something of a 4-4-1-1, the hosts’ four-man midfield crowded that of their opposition and pressed right up the pitch.
That forced Victory into simple yet worryingly regular errors and were so nearly made to pay numerous times in the first 45, rescued only by Broxham’s goal-line clearance, ironically after his own error, and the trusty gloves of Thomas.
Needless to say it was a much different Suwon side to the one that took the field at AAMI Park a matter of weeks ago.
Little control and fluency in the midfield left Victory desperately hopeless in an attacking sense. Jai Ingham and Barbarouses could not breach the Suwon full-backs – well, not until the Kiwi did find his way in behind for the first time in the second half, scoring in the process.
And yet despite all their dominance, Suwon came away with just one point, a costly result at home with only two games remaining.
Matthieu in midfield
A seasoned campaigner at the back, Delpierre is the gargantuan presence other clubs can only wish they had. Really, the complete package in defence – but this, we already know, and have done for quite some time.
Delpierre’s ability and willingness to galavant through the middle of the pitch proved to be the catalyst for Victory’s equaliser, a sight that is becoming commonplace. His cushion header at the top of the penalty area teed up goalscorer Barbarouses, and when blessed with the composure, vision, calmness and ability to read the play Delpierre possesses, why not?
Thomas stands up once more
How on earth did it take us so long to see this man step back between the posts?
A key figure in Victory’s potentially season-reviving win over Western Sydney Wanderers in A-League round 25, the gloveman again played a crucial role in another big result, albeit a draw in which his guard was breached.
The 23-year-old made six saves, including a quite simply stunning reflex save tracking back on his goal-line that denied Suwon what would have been the all-important opener.
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