Goal! Weekly Article 7: Asian Champions League Coverage

VICTORY FACE GROUP STAGE ELIMINATION

Three points from three games not good enough

By Julius Ross

Melbourne Victory slumped to their second consecutive defeat in the Asian Champions League last week, after they were on the wrong end of a seven-goal thriller at the Telstra Dome.

Gamba Osaka dealt the significant blow to the Aussie side, with a late goal from Brazilian super-sub Lucas giving Osaka a 4-3 victory and a vital three-points.

Victory, who have managed just one win from three games thus far in their inaugural ACL season, will have to win their remaining three fixtures to have a chance of progressing to the quarter-finals.

Melbourne now sit four points behind group leader Osaka after a pulsating match on Wednesday night.

With Socceroo striker Archie Thompson and Costa Rican Carlos Hernandez both absent due to knee injuries, Ernie Merrick added Adrian Caceres and Nick Ward to his squad to provide much-needed fire-power and support for forward Danny Allsopp.
And it was Allsopp and Caceres who linked up early to open the scoring for the Melbourne side.

Osaka ‘keeper Yosuke Fujigaya’s fumbled from a stringing drive from Caceres to give Allsopp a simple finish in the 3rd minute to send the 23,000 strong crowd into raptures.

Victory’s perfect start was ruined on 32 minutes via a sensational left-footed drive from Gamba’s No. 10, Takahiro Futagawa, which left goalie Serafim Theoklitos with no chance.

Six minutes later, Victory’s hopes were again shattered as a superbly taken corner from Japanese international Yasuhito Endo was headed home by Brazilian Bare as Gamba came from behind to snatch a 2-1 lead.

But Victory replied almost instantly, with defender Rodrigo Vargas nodding home a beautiful set piece by Caceres for his second Champions League goal, with five minutes remaining in the half.

Victory continued from where they left off in the second half with Allsopp grabbing his second goal of the game, and third of the campaign, on 66 minutes to take the lead for the A-League side once more.

Gamba, who have made a name for themselves as the “comeback-kings” did just that, captain Yamaguchi Satoshi scoring from another corner by Endo to draw the sides level once more at 3-3, just three minutes after Allsopp had given Victory the lead.
It was a superb encounter and Gamba left it late to compile further misery onto Ernie Merrick’s side, with Brazilian striker Lucas finishing superbly at the near post in the 90th minute to silence the Victory supporters.

Victory will feel that they deserved at least a point, but will be kicking themselves for twice squandering the lead to allow Gamba to snatch all three points from under their noses.

It was the second time this campaign that Gamba had managed a 4-3 comeback away from home; the Japanese side turning around a two goals deficit to defeat Korean outfit Chunnam Dragons 4-3 in match day two at Gwangyang Stadium.

Gamba now look strong favourites to progress from Group G at the expense of the Victory; with the J-League club sitting three points clear of second-placed Thai side Chonburi FC, who suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of bottom side Chunnam.

Victory will have to take maximum points from its final three group matches to be in contention for top spot in the group, and its Asian Champions League future is currently hanging by a thread.

Melbourne will face Gamba again in match day four on April 23, this time away from home in Osaka’s Expo ’70 Commemorative Stadium in Japan.

It will be make or break for the Victory, and if Merrick’s side fail to secure all three points, they will almost certainly face early elimination in their debut ACL season.