Vidosic denies Victory in thrilling derby draw

City celebrate Dario Vidosic’s late equaliser in the thrilling Melbourne derby.Credit:AAP

There aren't many games in the A-League where the full house sign gets close to being hung outside the stadium. But Victory v City is one that comes closest.

This centrepiece of the seasonal trio of derbies, the one played in the now traditional slot of the last Saturday before Christmas, provided the prejudiced and the merely partisan with everything they might have wanted – particularly in a fast and furious first half where City had the best of things, Victory had the better chances and neither side could find a way through.

Vidosic heads the ball home.Credit:AAP

Both sides went hammer and tongs like two championship fighters who didn't like each other and wanted to finish the bout by knockout rather than meander to some safe, proficient and technically adroit points decision.

When the dust settled, however, neither side could claim bragging rights, City midfielder Dario Vidosic's header in the second minute of stoppage time cancelling out Ola Toivonen's opener to ensure honours were even.

It was a fitting finale to a frenetic contest, and the final rematch in February will be eagerly awaited.

James Troisi was smarting because he had been left out of the Socceroos squad by coach Graham Arnold, and the attacking midfielder had made his displeasure clear in a press conference earlier in the week.

Vidosic after squaring the ledger in stoppage time.Credit:AAP

The burden of creativity and drive fell upon him due to the shock withdrawal of Victory's marquee man Keisuke Honda, an absentee whose non-appearance was at first made more mysterious by the club's refusal to say exactly why he was out.

Initially all coach Kevin Muscat's football department would say was that it was a "precautionary withdrawal", subsequently amended to "hamstring tightness". Sources later suggested the recent workloads the 32-year-old had been subjected to were beginning to take a toll.

Troisi's task on the other side was mirrored by Luke Brattan, whom Warren Joyce, in what was a surprise to many, pushed further forward into an attacking zone.

Brattan, who, as footballers go, is a rather alternative character, stood out just as much for his peroxide hair, dyed specially for the occasion.

Melbourne City’s Luke Brattan pulls the trigger.Credit:AAP

The fireworks began from the start with City on the attack straight away, Vidosic forcing Lawrence Thomas in the Victory goal to dive and save within 40 seconds.

Thomas it was who was to be the busiest goalkeeper in an end-to-end first half as Victory looked to avenge its round one defeat at the hands of its rivals.

Victory's veteran midfielder Leigh Broxham, in the starting line-up for Honda, galloped through only to see his shot blocked by Kearyn Baccus while at the other end Ritchie De Laet's rampaging run and cross was headed to safety.

Riley McGree was just over with a long-range shot after Thomas had lost the ball on the edge of the area before Vidosic headed wide.

But it was Victory who created the most clear cut early chance, when Troisi set up Terry Antonis only for the midfielder to spurn an excellent chance by shooting over.

De Laet gets forward more than most full-backs, and his rasping drive thundered over as City counterpunched, Thomas saving from Lachlan Wales.

But Troisi had an excellent chance to send Arnold a message in the 33rd minute when the hitherto rather anonymous Ola Toivonen flicked the ball on to Broxham, who found the former Socceroo in space. Troisi just had Eugene Galekovic to beat but the keeper stood tall and blocked his effort.

Toivonen finds space in front of City keeper Eugene Galekovic.Credit:AAP

Scott Jamieson linked well down the City left with Vidosic only to shoot horribly wide as the pace lifted even more. Rostyn Griffiths, given a first league start of the year for City, then drew a flying save from Thomas, who subsequently saved De Laet's header.

But the goalkeeper saved his best work for late in the half when he stood tall after an excellent break by the hosts, Griffiths finding Wales in space after breaking up a midfield move.

The young striker hared in on goal, but took a heavy touch and Thomas was out smartly to dive bravely at Wales feet to save.

Toivonen puts the ball past the keeper.Credit:AAP

Victory began the second half with more vigour and power than they finished the first, with City being forced on to the back foot.

The crucial goal came in the 55th minute after some sustained Victory pressure, and it was Toivonen, who had not really been involved much before, who made the breakthrough.

Antonis, won the ball in midfield and fed Kosta Barbarouses wide on the left.

As he shaped to cross Toivonen pulled off the defenders and into space and when the ball came over he was all alone to push a side-footed volley past Galekovic.  City's defence was so slack as to give him that much time and space, it can only have itself to blame.

City looked down and out as time ran out, but Scott Jamieson's run down the right and floated cross found Vidosic climbing above a pack of players to nod home.

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