Melbourne Victory defender Adrian Leijer says it is important to build on the momentum created by the club’s first derby success.
Melbourne Victory defender Adrian Leijer says it is important to build on the momentum created by the club’s first derby success.
Victory gained the scalp of cross-town rivals Melbourne Heart with a 3-1 triumph at AAMI Park, a win that moved them into fifth place on the A-League table.
“I think over the last month we’ve played some good football and there’s a lot of positives,” Leijer said.
“The confidence is there now and as long as we don’t get carried away, we can try and string a few wins together, and hopefully move up the table.”
Next on Victory’s agenda is Saturday’s home clash against Perth Glory, a club they have beaten just five times from 17 match-ups since the HAL’s inception.
“The Glory’s had the better of us, that’s disappointing and has to change this week,” Leijer said.
“We have to step up and take our run of form at the moment into the game to turn things around against the Glory.”
Victory’s revival has coincided with the return of star striker Archie Thompson, who alongside the in-form Robbie Kruse provides an attacking threat few other teams match.
The one-time Socceroo agrees the pair have provided a lethal edge to the Victory line-up.
“They have been fantastic as you’ve seen in the amount of goals they’ve scored, they are two of the best strikers in the A-League and if they’re firing it breeds confidence into the rest of us,” Leijer said.
On a light-hearted note, Leijer was disappointed to hear that his goal in the win over the Heart was rescinded by Football Federation Australia, instead going down in the record-books as an own goal for Wayne Srhoj.
“I’m devastated, when you play as a centre-back you have to take what you can get, but I hear the FFA’s taken it away from me which is a bit of a shame,” Leijer said.
