Victory must rise in French star’s absence

Melbourne Victory is desperate to give suspended star Zinedine Machach a shot at redemption by beating Wellington Phoenix to reach the A-League grand final.

If Machach is to play again this season, it can only be in the May 25 decider after he was suspended for two matches following his red card for violent conduct in the Victory’s elimination final against Melbourne City last Sunday.

With the Victory-Phoenix semi-final being played over two legs, starting with Sunday’s battle at AAMI Park, the Frenchman is relying on his teammates to give him the chance to finish the season on the high of a grand final win.
The Victory defied the odds in overcoming Machach’s first-half send off against City, scoring a late equaliser before remaining alive in the finals series with success in the penalty shootout after scores were locked at 1-1 at the end of extra-time.

“After the game when we arrived in the changing room, his face was a little bit relieved,” Victory skipper Roderick Miranda said.

“Of course he’s upset he cannot play (against the Phoenix), but that’s part of football.

“Now we just need to try to make everything go well to give him a chance to play again.”

Miranda’s central defensive partner Damien Da Silva was disappointed for his countryman Machach.

“Football is like that,” Da Silva said.

“We will try to help him play another game – the final.”

If the Victory needed any extra incentive and motivation to reach the grand final, the Melbourne club’s below-par record against the Phoenix should provide it.

The teams have met three times this season, with two games finishing in draws and Phoenix winning the other encounter 1-0 thanks to a stoppage-time own goal from Miranda in Wellington last month.

“We have something to prove,” Miranda said.

“We don’t need to overdo it, I just think we need to be really focused on what we need to do, and keep on our game plan, because it’s working.

“Against them (the Phoenix), it was always a tough game. They know we are a really tough team to beat, and it will be a really exciting game to watch … a really tough game, a really physical game, so everybody needs to be at 100 per cent to have a chance against Wellington.”

The Phoenix hope to end a seven-year wait for a win at AAMI Park.

“Eventually the odds will tip in our favour,” Wellington coach Giancarlo Italiano said.

“I’m hoping it’s Sunday, but it’s a very hard place to go. It’ll be a great experience for the boys.”