Melbourne Victory midfielder Leigh Broxham believes his side have a point to prove this weekend when they journey north to take on Sydney FC.
Melbourne Victory midfielder Leigh Broxham believes his side have a point to prove this weekend when they journey north to take on Sydney FC.
Victory sit in third spot on the A-League table ahead of their trip to the harbour city for Saturday night-s match, with Frank Farina’s Sydney in fifth place.
Sydney’s Allianz Stadium has turned into something of a fortress in recent weeks, with the Sky Blues posting six wins on the trot on home soil.
But away from home, it’s been another matter, with their last win on the road coming from a trip to New Zealand to play the Phoenix in December, and a total of just two away wins for the season.
Similarly, Victory have posted a record of four wins, one draw and six losses away from home this season and Broxham said the team are determined to show they can travel ahead of the finals.
“It’ll be a good test but we’re ready for it,” Broxham said at Gosch-s Paddock on Thursday. “We’re out to prove a point as well that we can get results away from home, not just here at AAMI Park.
“When we were up there last time we were 2-0 down and a couple of great goals by (Andrew) Nabbout got us back in the game. You can’t rely on that every week.
“They look a lot more disciplined, look a bit more structured than the last time we played them here at AAMI (a 3-1 win in January).”
The diminutive Broxham may have established a reputation as an aerial specialist in last weekend’s 1-1 draw against Brisbane, when he flew over Roar defender Ivan Franjic to thunder a header past former team-mate Michael Theo.
Broxham said his colleagues had been amazed by the leap and finish.
“I think the reaction from the bench when I scored was just all disbelief and funny smiles – I don’t know what’s so funny about it,” he joked.
“I was happy, and I suppose it would have been better if we’d got three points on the weekend.
“I’ll go up for corners now I think, now that I’ve done that hopefully Muscy (assistant coach Kevin Muscat) puts me up for corners.”
The 25-year-old said his form is building nicely as the season nears the business end, and feels the team is also starting to get back to their best.
“At the start I was pretty up and down, I was in and out,” Broxham said.
“I’m starting to put a few decent games together. I’m always trying to improve – I’ll look at a game and there’s always stuff to improve in my game.
“The last couple of games we’ve executed reasonably well what the boss has wanted.
“If you think of the last time we went up to Brisbane to now, it was a lot more disciplined performance. I think the team’s moving in the right direction and building momentum towards the finals.”
