The two most successful Australian soccer clubs – Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory – are locking horns in Round 1 of the 2022-23 A-League. Between them, these two have nine A-League titles, all of which they won in the 21st century.
Knowing all this, it seems perfectly fitting that the Sydney FC vs Melbourne Victory is played in the opening round of the 2022-23 season. The Big Blue Derby as the rivalry is called will see its 59th edition this coming Saturday at Leichhardt Oval in Sydney.
Sydney FC vs Melbourne Victory Odds
Moneyline
| Sydney FC | +137 |
| Draw | +270 |
| Melbourne Victory | +175 |
Goals Over/Under
| Over 2.5 | -125 |
| Under 2.5 | +100 |
*Odds taken from bet365 on Tuesday, October 4.
When, Where, and How to Watch?
- Place: Leichhardt Oval in Sydney
- Date: Saturday, October 8
- Time: 4:45 AM ET
- How to Watch: Paramount+
Sydney FC Roster Looking Different in 2022
Sydney FC is a team that’s gone through many changes in the offseason. First of all, fan-favorite – Brazilian striker Bobo – decided to retire from professional soccer at the end of the previous season. Another legend of the club – Milos Ninkovic – decided to move to WS Wanderers.
Luciano Narsingh and Kosta Barbarouses also left the club after their contracts expired, along with another 11 players, some of which played important roles in Sydney FC in the past.
Still, despite so many departures, Sydney FC’s roster doesn’t look weak in 2022. It’s because the club has made several great signings during the Australian winter. English forward Joe Lolley arrived from Nottingham Forest, a team that he helped qualify for the Premier League after decades of playing in lower tiers of English soccer.
Lolley played 29 games for Nottingham last season, which is proof that he still has it in him to produce a couple of amazing seasons. He and Robert Mak who came from Ferencvaros are the ones in charge of scoring goals in 2022.
Apart from strengthening their offense, Sydney FC also signed a couple of good defenders, most notably Diego Caballo (from Sabadell) and Jack Rodwell (WS Wanderers).
Melbourne Victory With Big Plans for the 2022-223 Season
Last season, Melbourne Victory finished second in the A-League after losing 2-0 to Western United in the Grand Final. Because of the loss, they failed to retain the A-League title that they won a season earlier.
It was a disappointing loss, but no one can say that they had a disappointing season. In fact, they were pretty good that season and we expect them to do even better in 2022-23. The thing is that the core of the team is still there. Their most productive scorer Jamie Maclaren is playing his fourth season in the Melbourne shirt, along with all of his favorite teammates – Nicholas D’Agostino, Jake Brimmer, and others.
In the 2022-23 season, Melbourne Victory will be even more dangerous in the attack than before, now that Nani has arrived in Australia. The Portuguese winger isn’t getting any younger, but he sure has the skill set to do well in A-League.
Sydney FC vs Melbourne Victory Prediction
Asa always, the Big Blue Derby should bring plenty of excitement to the viewers, probably with goals on both ends. Still, in the 2022-23 season, Melbourne Victory looks like a much stronger side than Sydney FC.
Picks: Melbourne Victory to win; over 2.5 goals