Victory has earned home advantage: Broxham
SUNDAY’S grand final pits the A-League’s best away team against the team with the best home record.
But Melbourne Victory vice-captain Leigh Broxham says Sydney FC’s phenomenal feats on the road this season will give them no advantage at AAMI Park.
Sydney became the first team in the league’s 10-year history to go through a season undefeated away from home.
In 14 games away from Alli- anz Stadium, Graham Arnold’s side won 10 and drew four, scoring 33 goals and conceding just 14 in the process.
Victory’s record of six wins, six draws and a loss from its 13 away games was the next best record in the competition, but more pertinent is the home form of Kevin Muscat’s men considering it will host the weekend’s title showdown.
The Victorians may have lost three times on their home patch — to Perth, Wellington and Newcastle — but with nine wins and two draws they still managed to compile a better record than any of the other nine sides.
Broxham said the grand final match-up was fitting considering their respective records, but added that Victory is far from intimidated by Sydney’s savvy on the road.
In December, the only time the teams met in Melbourne this season, they played out a thrilling 3-3 draw at Etihad Stadium.
“We’ve got the home ground, so it’s obviously up to us to take that advantage and win the game,” Broxham said.
“That’s the advantage we’ve earned and I don’t think them having a good away record will change anything for us or how we go about it.
“It doesn’t make you worry, it just is what it is and we’ll go about business in the way we normally do.”
Sydney also comes into the game possessing the best record of any team since January’s Asian Cup break.
Including last weekend’s 4-1 semi-final win over Adelaide, Sydney has won 11 of its last 14 games, losing just twice and scoring a staggering 41 goals.
In its last 14 games, Victory has won eight, drawn four and lost two.
We’ve got the home ground, so it’s obviously up to us to take that advantage and win the game