Melbourne Victory played their first game since the pitch invasion that rocked the footballing community – with their area of the stadium instead tarped off and devoid of fans.
Following the shocking scenes in a match against Melbourne City that was eventually abandoned, Victory were hit with heavy sanctions that included all fans being banned from away matches.
As a result, the Boxing Day clash against defending champions Western United was an eerie affair, with the 2,867-strong crowd consisting only of home team members and a select few others who bought tickets well in advance.
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“It’s different,” Victory coach Tony Popovic told reporters afterwards.
“The players were out there. I wasn’t, but it felt like some of those games that you played with the COVID restrictions.”
Despite a first half red card to veteran defender Nikolai Topor-Stanley, the home side grabbed the only goal of the game through Josh Risdon to claim a 1-0 win.
“Overall we didn’t do enough to break down 10 men,” Popovic said.
“They sat very deep and defended well – that’s what they do.”
It was a third win in four games for John Aloisi’s team, who had stumbled out of the blocks in their title defence, taking just one point from their first five matches this season.
“It was very similar to results we had last year,” Risdon said on the broadcast after the match.
”It was pure effort by the boys, getting a man sent off in the first half and just grinding out a result.
“A lot of effort.”
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