Second-half show impresses Muscat
Melbourne Victory did well to come back and take a point off in-form Wellington Phoenix, coach Kevin Muscat said after the sides drew 1-1 at AAMI Park.
Victory went back above Perth Glory on goal difference at the top of the A-League, extending their unbeaten sequence to eight matches.
They needed an equaliser from Swedish striker Ola Toivonen to claim a share of the spoils, after David Williams had struck an excellent opener for the visitors.
And Muscat felt his team had been impressive in the second half when taking on a team who were intent on sitting deep.
The coach hopes he could get Japanese star Keisuke Honda back for the trip to Western Sydney on 5th January, though Nick Ansell could be missing as he was forced off against Wellington with a suspected hamstring injury.
Muscat said it had been difficult for the defending champions to play against a Phoenix side who put seven players across the edge of their box and looked to transition quickly.
"From our point, we weren't too happy with the way we dealt with that because it gave them energy, gave them oxygen," he added. "Then in the second half I think it was totally different.
"We were asking a lot more questions, we were finishing off actions, creating and earning opportunities and even at the death there, to get the goal back against a team that sits deep and has a lot of bodies in the back third, to get the goal back and keep pushing on and try get the winner was pleasing."
The coach said Honda and Raul Baena had been close to getting the nod to take on Wellington, and he was optimistic they would be able to play against Western Sydney.
Melbourne Victory are 5/2 to win the Grand Final, while they are 9/4 to win the minor premiership.
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Melbourne Victory did well to come back and take a point off in-form Wellington Phoenix, coach Kevin Muscat said after the sides drew 1-1 at AAMI Park.
Victory went back above Perth Glory on goal difference at the top of the A-League, extending their unbeaten sequence to eight matches.
They needed an equaliser from Swedish striker Ola Toivonen to claim a share of the spoils, after David Williams had struck an excellent opener for the visitors.
And Muscat felt his team had been impressive in the second half when taking on a team who were intent on sitting deep.
The coach hopes he could get Japanese star Keisuke Honda back for the trip to Western Sydney on 5th January, though Nick Ansell could be missing as he was forced off against Wellington with a suspected hamstring injury.
Muscat said it had been difficult for the defending champions to play against a Phoenix side who put seven players across the edge of their box and looked to transition quickly.
"From our point, we weren't too happy with the way we dealt with that because it gave them energy, gave them oxygen," he added. "Then in the second half I think it was totally different.
"We were asking a lot more questions, we were finishing off actions, creating and earning opportunities and even at the death there, to get the goal back against a team that sits deep and has a lot of bodies in the back third, to get the goal back and keep pushing on and try get the winner was pleasing."
The coach said Honda and Raul Baena had been close to getting the nod to take on Wellington, and he was optimistic they would be able to play against Western Sydney.
Melbourne Victory are 5/2 to win the Grand Final, while they are 9/4 to win the minor premiership.
View all Soccer betting
Source: bet365.com
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