Melbourne Victory v. Olympiacos, Etihad Stadium, 19/05/12

I'll be blogging this from about 6.45 in the press box at Etihad! More interested in the sandwiches, pizza, coke and Michael Lynch's song list than the game. Only joking. It should be a good display given that half the Greek national team will be on the field.

Can't be arsed typing out the team lists but here's an image of them.

23 minutes before kick-off at it looks like a North Melbourne v Fremantle crowd (when both teams are crap) at Etihad. People still in the bars?

Olympiacos supporters, mid picture.

A few on the wing

hmmm

More turned up just before kick off.

It's a strange atmosphere with a very strong supporter group for Olympiacos from Sydney in attendance. But not a lot of Victory fans, yet, relatively at least. At present just under 15K in the ground. It really needs 20 before it feels occupied. This would have been fabulous at AAMI.

The flare helps!

7.34. Underway. Victory kicks off. Colleague calls for penalty as Archie Thompson falls in a challenge. No one else calls though.

7.37. Olympiacos player mile offside through on goal. Called.

7.38. Olympiacos player blazes over after mistake from Foschini at cb.

7.40. Djebbour shoots wide for Olympiacos.

7.41. Olympiacos all over victory. Will score soon!

7.42. Offside call. Olympiacos robbed according to some.

7.43. Olympiacos score. Told you so! Fuster! 1-0.

7.47. Allsopp blazes away high and wide.

Crowd 16,537 and rising! Victory seemed to have stemmed the flow a little.

7.51. Olympiacos Corner on right. Another.

7.54. Victory attacking. Looking competent without the polish to finish well.

16,644

7.56. Beautiful goal to Olympiacos. Run by Miralles on left cut back to Fetfaztidis. Headed in beautifully. 2-0


7.54. Own goal by Victory. 3-0.

16,704

8.01. Penalty to victory. Thompson brought down in area. Scored. Olympiacos. 3-1.

8.04. Olympiacos player fouled Victory player off the ball. Yellow to Mellberg.

8.06. Foschini yellow. Olympiacos free kick 25 out. Dangerous. Put out for for left corner. Dangerous until keeper fouled.

8.09. Allsopp fouled in clear. Should have been yellow.

8.10  Good save by Thomas when goal looked likely.

8.11. Great long effort by Olympiacos 30 out. Only just over. Victory follow up with a bit more stupidity.

8.13. Victory pressing. Archie gets a great ball on the right. Stuffs it up by failing to pass off.

8.15. Victory pressing forward again.

8.17. Good attack by Olympiacos but Victory up to it and defend well.

8.18. Victory forward again. Game seems more balanced now. Maybe Olympiacos have foot off pedal.

8.19. Break by Olympiacos. Stemmed. They come again.

8.20. Half time.

After looking likely to cave in Victory find something and make a game of it. Though it's probably fair enough to suggest that Olympiacos are playing at 75 per cent full throttle.

Crowd 16,851

8.37. Second half underway. Olympiacos make 6 changes.

8.38. Sparkling attack by Victory down right. Archie puts it into side netting.

8.39. Olympiacos corner on left. Should have scored. Keeper Thomas did well again. Victory break. Break down.

8.42. Victory looking steady again.

8.43. Good work down right by Victory. Kemp shoots wide.

8.45. Olympiacos pounces on Victory error. Poor finishing sees ball go behind for goal kick.

16,876

8.49. Game has lost edge. Olympiacos seem to be going through the motions and victory can't penetrate.

8.50. Olympiacos attack. Good save by Thomas.

8.54. Good lead up play by Olympiacos. Shot side footed over.

8.55. Victory corner. Saved by Carroll. Olympiacos break. Shot saved by Thomas.

8.56. Archie offside.

8.58. Good pressing by Victory but let down again by poor final ball. Too long and behind for goal kick.

16,879

9.05. Davies has a crack from 25. Blasts over.

9.07. Archie brought down. Yellow for 31.

9.08. Allsopp drive fumbled by carroll. Archie stuffs up the follow up.

9.13. James Riccobeni on for Victory Looks lively.

9.14. Good break by Victory Lokvancic fluffs good chance.

9.21. Error by victory. Goal to Fuster. 4-1.

9.23. Victory still pushing for another.

9.25. All over. Olympiacos 4, Melbourne Victory 1.

Hopelessly outtclassed victory's youngsters deserve a lot of credit for the way they competed in the game. Olympiacos had a night out and seemed to enjoy themselves. It was clear that had the game been meaningful then the story would have been very different.

OMG an ethnic flag!

Ange Postecoglu seemed reasonably happy with the performance.
Thought his young players fought well and learned a bit from the experience.