Article by Macarthur Bulls Junior Reporter, George ANDREWS
Before the game I asked a few fans for their predictions of the score and they were all hoping for a Bulls win, with scores like 2-1, 1-0 and 3-2. Favorite players also included stars like GK Filip Kurto and our Big man up front Harrison Sawyer.
It was a hot night in Campbelltown, we were feeling the effects in the stands, the boys on the pitch must have been really hot doing all that running, during the game the referee had called multiple drink breaks as the heat was so extreme.
After the game it was ‘fans on the pitch’ which was a great experience for all those who stayed behind, it gave them a chance to run around the pitch pretending to be a superstar while also taking up close pictures of what the field looks like.
Macarthur Bulls and Melbourne Victory fought out a tense 0–0 draw on Friday night at Campbelltown Stadium leaving many fans disappointed or upset, with missed chances, multiple bookings, and a worrying injury for Bulls Captain Luke Brattan adding to the story of the match.
The first half was close, but Melbourne Victory thought they had the breakthrough when Clarismario Santos curled a shot into the far right of the net. The celebrations were cut short as VAR ruled the goal out for a foul by Juan Mata on Liam Rose, leaving the visitors from Melbourne frustrated, while us MacArthur fans were cheering. Before halftime hit, Victory player Louis D’Arrigo came close with a strike that rattled the post, but the score tied even at the break.
The second half kicked off with Victory continuing to push forward, but without much impact. Macarthur’s No1 Filip Kurto was sharp, producing a crucial save to deny Victory a goal. Both sides couldn’t deliver much up front leaving us fans disappointed, there were many ‘could be’ chances but nothing came from it. Victory edged the number of shots, 19 to the Bulls 12, but neither side got many on target, Bulls coming out slightly ahead there 3-1.
The match had even more upsetting moments, with Ji Dong-Won and Sime Grzan cautioned for Macarthur, whilst Joshua Inserra picked up a yellow for Victory. And to Macarthur’s concerns, Captain and Midfielder Luke Brattan appeared to suffer a strain very early on and didn’t come back out for the second half, raising questions about his fitness going forward.
At full time, both sides were left frustrated. Victory and Macarthur both producing unfortunate performances up front leaving both coaches and all fans frustrated . The result leaves Victory with just one win in their last five matches, with Macarthur winless in three.
