Thank-You Melbourne

For many years now I had sat back in my Adelaide loungroom and watched the Melbourne derby from afar sitting back in ore of its unique atmosphere, colour and festival like nature thinking how good would it be to be amongst it, in the stands with the supporters cheering on in the flesh.

So guess what…. this season I booked myself a trip to Melbourne and got myself a ticket to the Melbourne Derby, the big game, the rivalry that stops not only the town of Melbourne but let’s face it also every A-League fan in this country. We all tune in and enjoy the show dreaming how good the A-League would be if crowds like this came every week.

Over 40,000 other people also shared my view at Etihad on Saturday night and saw a game that lived up to all the hype. From the moment I took my seat you could feel something good was in the air. As the ground slowly filled the noise slowly grew until by kick off a wave of electricity, noise, passion and singing as one filled the arena, pulsating around the stands hitting everyone smack in the face. This is what football is all about and this is why I came from Adelaide to sit amongst it.

WOW Melbourne just WOW, from the northern end boys chanting and clapping in perfect timing, to the matched singing and chanting of the guys up the southern end, goose bumps and a new energy came over me. I was caught up in it and strapped myself in for the ride.  Throw in the bay of Melbourne City supporters singing back and giving some quality banter and you had yourself a show in itself; but not only was the show off the park brilliant but on the pitch something too was unfolding that matched the quality support.

Ben Khalfallah opened the scoring for Victory in the first half which was a just reward from what I viewed a half dominated by Victory. The crowd too enjoyed the opening goal as scarves waved amongst the fans and songs sung between the supporter groups…I needed half time to take a breath and take it all in.

2nd half and victory go two nil up through Kosta Barbarouses in the 57th minute, game over I thought to myself as the 40,000 plus fans danced and chanted and took the atmosphere to a peak like a Swiss ski resort in the alps. This crowd was officially nuts now and the place was rocking….but guess what guys football is a funny game and in the 70 minute city pull one back through Fornaroli and before I could take a sip from my beer again BANG goes Mauk and its 2-2.

Suddenly the City bay erupts and the Melbourne victory crowd is silenced, City supporters sing now with gusto and Victory supporters are in shock, the chant of 2 nil and you F**kd it up rings out amongst the City supporters and the majority victory crowd is silenced. GAME ON, who is going to win it now, Like a title fight the teams throw punches and trade blows but there is no clear winner in sight…I’m completely hooked, gripped to the theatre unfolding. I don’t want it to end…Oh my god I’m so glad I’m here.

90th minute comes and guess who, Berisha pops up and SCORES THE WINNER! Victory goes 3-2 up and boom, like a volcano Etihad erupts. Supporters explode, the noise is deafening and the stadium now has been saturated in an explosion of passion, sheer relief and joy.  Victory and the majority of the 40,000 strong crowd have done it. The game is over; Victory owns the town and takes the 3 points.

Whilst I take a breath and sit back in my seat and think yes that trip from Adelaide was worth it. The game is over; my heart is racing as the fans start to leave. But this game, this derby will take a long time to leave me; Thank-you Melbourne and thank-you every supporter in the stadium. I will be back again and I will go on that ride with you in the next Melbourne Derby.

 

Image: foxsports.com.au

 

Follow Damien Lewandowski on Twitter @Damoadelaide

 

 

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