On a chilly & overcast Wednesday night a few hundred onlookers seized the opportunity to watch several first-team players in action as Melbourne Heart faced Wimmera South Coast Eagles at the home ground of North Geelong Soccer Club. Not a single Vuvuzela was heard – a welcome respite.
Whilst several new faces on both sides were given the opportunity to impress Van’t Schip, Dutchman Rutger Worm and local Kamal Ibrahim lit up the pitch in the first half, producing several dangerous runs down their respective wings and connecting well with teammates.
Heart started calmly – in control and retaining possession. Attacks were built up from defence and the team seemed to enjoy moving the ball around and allowing everyone a touch. Whilst the pitch wasn’t in spectacular condition and at ground level one could notice an elevation in the middle, it was interesting to see that Heart kept the ball low, exploited the width and were confident in controlling the at-times wildly bouncing ball.
On the rare occasion the young and speedy Eagles crossed the half-way line, they were quickly cut off and dispossessed.
The first highlight of the match had Sibon trying a lob over the Eagles keeper from the corner of the box and hitting the crossbar. Ominous signs of things to come. Soon afterward fans were given an opportunity to shake off the frostbite by applauding Heart’s first goal, with Hoffman taking the honours after a well timed shot from inside the box beat the Eagles keeper.
Sibon was further given a few chances to open his account during the first half with some well-directed headers, but the Eagles keeper managed to defend his goal well. At the half time break the score was 1-0.
The first half had considerably more Heart first-team players on the pitch than the second. Amongst the players were Bolton, Marrone, Hamill, Colosimo, Worm, Sibon, Ibrahim, Hoffman, Babalj and Taseski – with Aloisi, Heffernan, Thompson and a few others watching from the sidelines and happily signing autographs and taking photos.
The second half saw extra trialists replace several Heart players. The highest profile was Theo Markelis who has previously trained in Valencia’s academy alongside players such as David Villa.
The Eagles were resurgent on the re-start and started exploiting their speed and creating several goal-scoring chances on the counterattack. Seemingly against the run of play, approximately 15 minutes into the second half Heart got on the scoreboard again, this time after an lucky own-goal, with a bouncing ball coming off a defender past the Eagles goalkeeper.
Wimmera refused to say die and with Van’t Schip watching and several players keen to impress soon got a goal back. A nice piece of counterattacking play was worked through the midfield and the Eagles striker put the ball past the Heart substitute goalkeeper.
In the remaining 20 minutes, Heart had several clear-cut goal chances, but they were saved expertly by the Eagles keeper. Just before full-time Eli Babalj made the score 3:1, beating the goalkeeper after being on the receiving end of a fantastic through-ball.
All-in-all, this was Melbourne Heart’s first friendly match and the result was not imperative. Van’t Schip previously stressed the importance of developing Heart’s own ‘style’ and if we are to see more of the same, fans can expect to see attractive short-passing football with talented and confident players who have the technical skills to use the ball.
Honorable mentions go to the Yarraside Terrace Group who traveled from Melbourne to fly the Heart flags and banners, to Wimmera South Coast Eagles for not using the Jabulani match-ball, and to the North Geelong Soccer Club canteen, which provided good quality Cevapi to combat the temperature and ensure rigor mortis did not set in.
Report by Matt Kuszner.
Whilst several new faces on both sides were given the opportunity to impress Van’t Schip, Dutchman Rutger Worm and local Kamal Ibrahim lit up the pitch in the first half, producing several dangerous runs down their respective wings and connecting well with teammates.
Heart started calmly – in control and retaining possession. Attacks were built up from defence and the team seemed to enjoy moving the ball around and allowing everyone a touch. Whilst the pitch wasn’t in spectacular condition and at ground level one could notice an elevation in the middle, it was interesting to see that Heart kept the ball low, exploited the width and were confident in controlling the at-times wildly bouncing ball.
On the rare occasion the young and speedy Eagles crossed the half-way line, they were quickly cut off and dispossessed.
The first highlight of the match had Sibon trying a lob over the Eagles keeper from the corner of the box and hitting the crossbar. Ominous signs of things to come. Soon afterward fans were given an opportunity to shake off the frostbite by applauding Heart’s first goal, with Hoffman taking the honours after a well timed shot from inside the box beat the Eagles keeper.
Sibon was further given a few chances to open his account during the first half with some well-directed headers, but the Eagles keeper managed to defend his goal well. At the half time break the score was 1-0.
The first half had considerably more Heart first-team players on the pitch than the second. Amongst the players were Bolton, Marrone, Hamill, Colosimo, Worm, Sibon, Ibrahim, Hoffman, Babalj and Taseski – with Aloisi, Heffernan, Thompson and a few others watching from the sidelines and happily signing autographs and taking photos.
The second half saw extra trialists replace several Heart players. The highest profile was Theo Markelis who has previously trained in Valencia’s academy alongside players such as David Villa.
The Eagles were resurgent on the re-start and started exploiting their speed and creating several goal-scoring chances on the counterattack. Seemingly against the run of play, approximately 15 minutes into the second half Heart got on the scoreboard again, this time after an lucky own-goal, with a bouncing ball coming off a defender past the Eagles goalkeeper.
Wimmera refused to say die and with Van’t Schip watching and several players keen to impress soon got a goal back. A nice piece of counterattacking play was worked through the midfield and the Eagles striker put the ball past the Heart substitute goalkeeper.
In the remaining 20 minutes, Heart had several clear-cut goal chances, but they were saved expertly by the Eagles keeper. Just before full-time Eli Babalj made the score 3:1, beating the goalkeeper after being on the receiving end of a fantastic through-ball.
All-in-all, this was Melbourne Heart’s first friendly match and the result was not imperative. Van’t Schip previously stressed the importance of developing Heart’s own ‘style’ and if we are to see more of the same, fans can expect to see attractive short-passing football with talented and confident players who have the technical skills to use the ball.
Honorable mentions go to the Yarraside Terrace Group who traveled from Melbourne to fly the Heart flags and banners, to Wimmera South Coast Eagles for not using the Jabulani match-ball, and to the North Geelong Soccer Club canteen, which provided good quality Cevapi to combat the temperature and ensure rigor mortis did not set in.
Report by Matt Kuszner.
Melbourne Heart Supporters Club
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