The Original Rivalry
| Company type | Sports rivalry |
|---|---|
| Industry | Soccer (football) |
| Founded | 7 May 2005 |
Area served | Australia |
The Original Rivalry refers to the competitive relationship between South Australia's Adelaide United and Victoria's Melbourne Victory, commonly dubbed 'The Original Derby'.
Initial encounters (2005–2006)
This rivalry originated on 7 May 2005 during the 2005 Australian Club World Championship Qualifying Tournament, where Adelaide progressed by winning a penalty shootout after a goalless draw. They faced each other again in a friendly match on 26 June 2005 held in Bendigo, which also concluded without any goals scored.
Rivalry development (2007–2009)
The competitive tension escalated notably in 2010 following Melbourne Victory’s consecutive triumphs over Adelaide United in A-League Grand Finals. A standout moment was the 6-0 victory in 2007 at Telstra Dome before an audience of 55,436, highlighted by Archie Thompson’s five goals and the sending off of Adelaide captain Ross Aloisi due to a second yellow card. The 2008–09 season ended with both teams level on points and goal difference, intensifying fan interest, with most matches attracting crowds above 12,500.
In the 2009 Grand Final, Victory clinched a narrow 1–0 win witnessed by 53,273 fans. The game was marked by controversy when Adelaide striker Cristiano received a direct red card early on for elbowing Rodrigo Vargas. Former Socceroo Robbie Slater publicly questioned this decision and advocated for international referees to maintain impartiality. Another debated incident involved Victory’s Danny Allsopp being dismissed for an alleged headbutt during an on-field confrontation.
An earlier episode during the 2006–07 season further fueled hostilities. A confrontation between Adelaide coach John Kosmina and Melbourne Victory captain Kevin Muscat occurred when both vied for the ball near Adelaide’s technical area. Muscat pushed Kosmina to the ground, prompting Kosmina to grab Muscat by the throat. Kosmina was subsequently sent off and received a five-match suspension. This altercation set a combative precedent for future matches between these clubs.
The 2010s era
After that Grand Final, Melbourne Victory secured six straight wins against Adelaide United. In the 2009–10 season, Adelaide finished last, claiming the wooden spoon, while Melbourne performed strongly, ending second after narrowly missing out to Sydney on the final matchday. Victory dominated all derby encounters that season, winning 2–0 in Adelaide, 3–1 at Docklands, and 2–0 at home, briefly topping the league table. Their winning streak extended to ten matches by October 2010 with a resilient 2–1 comeback victory. Adelaide halted this run with a commanding 4–1 win in Melbourne in January 2011—their first success over Victory in nearly three years and one of their largest winning margins. They secured another victory on the final day to finish third and qualify for the Champions League. However, both clubs dropped into the lower half of the standings during the 2011–12 season.
Developments in the 2020s
In March 2021, following his goal in Adelaide’s 3–1 victory, striker Kusini Yengi was subjected to racial abuse online from some Melbourne Victory supporters. In January 2022, Melbourne Victory faced a $5,000 fine after their fans directed homophobic slurs at Adelaide United player Josh Cavallo during a fixture.
After releasing the 2023–24 A-League Men schedule, Adelaide Venue Management (AVM), which operates Coopers Stadium, initially prohibited Melbourne Victory fans from attending the round 20 clash due to previous altercations between supporter groups. This ban was rescinded within hours amid public backlash. Subsequently, CEO Anthony Kirchner was suspended three days later and ultimately dismissed in late September.
On 4 November 2023, during a match, Adelaide’s Nestory Irankunda was shown a second yellow card in stoppage time after reacting to an uncalled foul by referee Alex King. Former Adelaide player Bruce Djite condemned this decision as “an absolute joke” and called for referees to better safeguard young talent. Ex-Victory striker Archie Thompson echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the need for improved official support. Adelaide coach Carl Veart acknowledged Irankunda’s need to manage his emotions and mentioned that the referee advised Irankunda he “has to be stronger.”
Cup eliminations and championship deciders
Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory have clashed on multiple occasions in A-League Grand Finals as well as crucial FFA Cup fixtures, playing a pivotal role in their respective title achievements. Noteworthy matches include:
- Melbourne Victory 6–0 Adelaide United (18 February 2007) – During the 2006–07 Grand Final, both sides competed for their inaugural A-League Finals trophy. Victory recorded the largest winning margin in a Grand Final, highlighted by Archie Thompson netting five goals and Kristian Sarkies scoring a sixth during stoppage time.
- Melbourne Victory 1–0 Adelaide United (28 February 2009) – The 2008–09 Grand Final held at Telstra Dome was decided by Tom Pondeljak’s strike in the 60th minute, securing Victory’s triumph.
- Melbourne Victory 3–1 Adelaide United (22 September 2015) – In the FFA Cup Quarter-Finals, Victory progressed to face Hume City after goals from Guilherme Finkler, Kosta Barbarouses, and Besart Berisha overcame a penalty goal by Adelaide’s Marcelo Carrusca.
- Adelaide United 3–0 Melbourne Victory (23 August 2017) – Adelaide advanced past Victory in the FFA Cup Round of 16 with goals from Johan Absalonsen, a penalty by George Blackwood, and Nathan Konstandopoulos, moving on to face Heidelberg United.
- Melbourne Victory 1–0 Adelaide United (21 September 2024) – In the semi-finals of the 2024 Australia Cup at AAMI Park, a closely contested match was settled by an 88th-minute goal from Jordi Valadon, sending Victory into the final against Macarthur FC. Macarthur then defeated Victory 1-0 in Melbourne to claim the trophy.
Adelaide United vs. Melbourne Victory
... [Entries omitted for brevity and relevance] ...| Venue | Date | Competition | Score | Home goalscorers | Away goalscorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hindmarsh Stadium | 7 May 2005 | OFC Club Championship qualification | 0–0 (4–1 pen.) |
7,254 | ||
| 9 September 2005 | A-League | 1–0 | Brain 1' | 8,785 | ||
| 5 January 2006 | A-League | 1–0 | Dodd 14' | 13,427 | ||
| 1 December 2006 | A-League | 1–3 | Fernando 42' | Muscat 16' (pen.), Allsopp 61', Fred 86' | 16,378 | |
| 28 January 2007 | A-League Finals | 0–0 | 15,575 | |||
| 7 September 2007 | A-League | 1–1 | Dodd 83' (pen.) | Vargas 80' | 12,231 | |
| 12 October 2007 | A-League | 4–1 | Milicevic 14' (o.g.), Dodd (2) 15', 54', Pantelis 90' | Thompson 45' | 13,372 | |
| 31 October 2008 | A-League | 2–3 | Dodd 28' (pen.), Cássio 67' | Muscat 55' (pen.), 81' (pen.), Celeski 84' | 13,191 | |
| 18 January 2025 | A-League Men | 3–2 | Mauk 31', Miranda 45' (o.g.), E. Alagich 71' | Teague 18', Santos 66' | 14,131 |
Melbourne Victory vs. Adelaide United
| Location | Match Date | Tournament | Result | Goals by Home Team | Goals by Away Team | Crowd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Park | 8 August 2005 | Pre-Season Challenge Cup | 0–0 | 4,687 | ||
| 28 October 2005 | A-League | 0–1 | Veart 83' | 16,201 | ||
| Aurora Stadium | 16 July 2006 | Pre-Season Challenge Cup | 0–1 | Veart 65' | 6,834 | |
| Olympic Park | 25 August 2006 | A-League | 2–0 | Muscat 29', Claudinho 78' | 15,781 | |
| Docklands Stadium | 15 October 2006 | A-League | 0–1 | Owens 83' | 32,368 | |
| 4 February 2007 | A-League Finals | 2–1 | Allsopp 48', Robinson 90+2' | Dodd 4' | 47,413 | |
| 18 February 2007 | A-League Finals | 6–0 | Thompson (5) 21', 29', 40', 56', 73', Sarkies 90+3' | 55,436 | ||
| Aurora Stadium | 15 July 2007 | Pre-Season Challenge Cup | 1–1 | Allsopp 74' | Dodd 9' | 8,061 |
| Docklands Stadium | 8 December 2007 | A-League | 2–2 | Muscat 71' (pen.), R. Alagich 90' (o.g.) | Agostino (2) 18', 50' | 22,466 |
| Aurora Stadium | 20 July 2008 | A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup | align="center" style="background:red; color:white"|1–2 | Ney Fabiano 8' | Cristiano (2) 21', 90' | 4,720 |
| Location | Match Date | Tournament | Result | Home Scorers | Away Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 September 2008 | A-League Men | 1–0 | Kevin Muscat 63' | 24,812 | ||
| 6 January 2009 | A-League Men | 1–0 | Ward 58' | 27,196 | ||
| 14 February 2009 | A-League Men Finals | 4–0 | Archie Thompson 10', Hernández 24', Danny Allsopp 44', Tom Pondeljak 48' | 34,476 | ||
| 28 February 2009 | A-League Men Finals | 1–0 | Tom Pondeljak 60' | 53,273 | ||
| 24 October 2009 | A-League Men | 3–1 | Mate Dugandzic (2) 18',56', Adrian Leijer 90' | Hughes64' | 21,182 | |
| 23 January 2010 | A-League Men | 2–0 | Tom Pondeljak1', Kevin Muscat90' (pen.) | 20,351 | ||
| 29 October 2010 | A-League Men | 2–1 | Robbie Kruse22', Hernández68' | Iain Fyfe2' | 16,269 |
| Location | Date | Tournament | Result | Home Goalscorers | Away Goalscorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 January 2011 | A-League Men | 1–4 | Mate Dugandzic90+4' | Marcos Flores12', Sergio van Dijk(2)57',78', Fabian Barbiero75' | 18,558 | |
| 13 January 2012 | A-League Men | 1–1 | Archie Thompson6' | Sergio van Dijk53' | 20,959 | |
| 10 December 2011 | A-League Men | 1–1 | Archie Thompson58' | Fabian Barbiero81' | 16,562 | |
| 19 October 2012 | A-League Men | 2–1 | Mark Milligan52', Marco Rojas67' | Dario Vidošić49' (pen.) | 19,174 |
| Location | Date | Tournament | Result | Home Scorers | Away Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 November 2013 | A-League Men | 3–0 | Kosta Barbarouses14', Archie Thompson68', Mitch Nichols76' | 20,064 | ||
| 22 February 2014 | A-League Men | 4–3 | Guilherme Finkler(2)15',56', Archie Thompson66', Kosta Barbarouses75' | Sergio Cirio(3)3',45',83' | 18,341 | |
| 28 November 2014 | A-League Men | 3–2 | Nigel Boogaard7' (Own goal), Sergio Cirio16' (Own goal), Leigh Broxham32' | Awer Mabil14', Marcelo Carrusca37' | 22,334 | |
| 22 September 2015 | FFA Cup | 3–1 | Guilherme Finkler10', Kosta Barbarouses45+1', Besart Berisha82' (Penalty) | Marcelo Carrusca78' (Penalty) | 10,521 | |
| 28 November 2015 | A-League Men's League Match | 2–1 | Besart Berisha14' (Penalty), Oliver Bozanic30' | Marcelo Carrusca87' (Penalty) | 23,415 |
| Location | Date | Tournament | Result | Home Scorers | Away Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 February 2016 | [[]] A-League Men's League Match | 0-1 | Bruce Kamau90' | 18,924 | ||
|
25 February2017|| []A-League Men |
align=centerstyle=background:#05093F;color:white | 2-1|| Marco Rojas66 , Besart Berisha82 || Tarek Elrich90 || 19,035 | |||||
|
8 December2017|| []A-League Men |
align=centerstyle=background:red;color:white | 1-2|| Mark Milligan56 || Baba Diawara17 , George Blackwood72 || 16,778 |
| Location | Date | Tournament | Result | Home Scorers | Away Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
24 February2018|| []A-League Men |
align=centerstyle=background:#05093F;color:white | 3-0|| Taylor Regan22 (Own goal), Leroy George29 , Besart Berisha59 || |
18,924 | ||||
|
22 April2018|| []A-League Men Finals |
align=centerstyle=background:#05093F;color:white | 2-1|| Leroy George63 , Besart Berisha89 || Nikola Mileusnic57 || 15,502 |
| Location | Date | Tournament | Result | Home Scorers | Away Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
8 December2018|| []A-League Men |
align=centerstyle=background:#05093F;color:white | 2-0|| Kosta Barbarouses62 , Ola Toivonen81 || |
20,629 | ||||
|
29 February2020|| []A-League Men |
align=centerstyle=background:#05093F;color:white | 2-1|| Marco Rojas57 , Andrew Nabbout90+1 || Kristian Opseth7 || 14,414 |
| Location | Date | Tournament | Result | Home Scorers | Away Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
13 March2021|| []A-League Men |
align=centerstyle=background:red;color:white | 1-3|| Jake Brimmer28 || Stefan Mauk(2)35 ,77 , Kusini Yengi61 || 5,217 | |||||
|
23 May2021|| []A-League Men |
align=centerstyle=background:red;color:white | 0-1|| |
Craig Goodwin39 || 5,413 | ||||
|
8 January2022|| []A-League Men |
align=centerstyle=background:silver;color:black | 1-1|| Nicholas D'Agostino84 || Craig Goodwin90+1 || 6,912 |
| Location | Date | Tournament | Result | Home Scorers | Away Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
26 February2023|| []A-League Men |
align=centerstyle=background:silver;color:black | 1-1|| Bruno Fornaroli81 (Penalty) || Nestory Irankunda87 || 8,838 | |||||
|
4 November2023|| []A-League Men |
align=centerstyle=background:silver;color:black | 1-1|| Bruno Fornaroli28 || Hiroshi Ibusuki59 || 15,229 | |||||
|
30 December2023|| []A-League Men |
align=centerstyle=background:#05093F;color:white | 2-0|| Zinédine Machach73 , Bruno Fornaroli90 || |
15,216 |
| Location | Date | Tournament | Result | Home Scorers | Away Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
21 September2024|| []Australia Cup |
align=centerstyle=background:#05093F;color:white | 1-0|| Jordi Valadon88 || |
5,131 | ||||
|
29 March2025|| []A-League Men |
align=centerstyle=background:#05093F;color:white | 5-3|| Daniel Arzani(2)29 ,71 (Penalty), Nishan Velupillay39 , Nikos Vergos(2)88 ,90+1 || Jonny Yull12 , Archie Goodwin47 , Zach Clough57 (Penalty) || 10,273 |
Head-to-head record
| Competition | Total matches | Victories by Melbourne | Draws | Victories by Adelaide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-League Men regular season | 59 | 25 | 13 | 21 |
| A-League Finals | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| FFA Cup/Australia Cup | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Pre-Season Challenge Cup | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| OFC Club Championship qualification | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Overall total | 75 | 34 | 17 | 24 |
Comparative league placings
| Position | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |||||||||||||||
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||
| 6 | 6 | ,
style="background-color:red;color:white;" |6 in 2013-14 and 2024-25 seasons |
||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | style="background-color:navy;color:white;" |7 | style="background-color:red;color:white;" |7 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | style="background-color:navy;color:white;" |8 | style="background-color:red;color:white;" |8 | ||||||||||||||||||
9
colspan=4Template:N/A |
style="background-color:red;color:white;" |9 | style="background-color:red;color:white;" |9 | ||||||||||||||||||
10
colspan=4Template:N/A |
style="background-color:red;color:white;" |10 | style="background-color:navy;color:white;" |10 | ||||||||||||||||||
11
colspan=5Template:N/A |
colspan=8Template:N/A |
style="background-color:navy;color:white;" |11 | ||||||||||||||||||
12
colspan=15Template:N/A |
style="background-color:navy;color:white;" |12 | |||||||||||||||||||
13
colspan=19Template:N/A |
Players with appearances for both teams
Since 2005, thirteen footballers have had the distinction of playing for both Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory. The pioneer in this regard was Matthew Kemp, who initially joined Adelaide United in 2005 before transferring to Melbourne Victory in 2007. The data presented here is compiled from ALeagueStats.com and reflects updates as of 27 June 2021.
From Adelaide United to Melbourne Victory
| Player | Position | Adelaide United | Melbourne Victory | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenure | Appearances | Goals | Tenure | Appearances | Goals | ||
| Matthew Kemp | Defender | 2005–07 | 47 | 1 | 2007–12 | 96 | 2 |
| Daniel Mullen | Defender | 2008–12 | 79 | 5 | 2013 | 9 | 0 |
| Marcos Flores | Midfielder | 2010–11 | 38 | 9 | 2012–13 | 24 | 4 |
| Paul Izzo | Goalkeeper | 2011–15, 2017–20 | 99 | 0 | 2022– | 25 | 0 |
| Tomi Juric | Forward | 2013, 2020–21 | 25 | 11 | 2022–23 | 7 | 1 |
| Noah Smith | Defender | 2020–21 | 10 | 0 | 2022–23 | 7 | 0 |
| Nathan Konstandopoulos | Midfielder | 2014–16, 2017–22 | 77 | 7 | 2022–24 | 11 | 0 |
| George Timotheou | Defender | 2020–22 | 22 | 0 | 2022–23 | 7 | 0 |
| Bruce Kamau | Forward | 2014–16 | 29 | 3 | 2023 | 9 | 0 |
From Melbourne Victory to Adelaide United
| Player | Position | Melbourne Victory | Adelaide United | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenure | Appearances | Goals | Tenure | Appearances | Goals | ||
| Vince Lia | Midfielder | 2005–07 | 31 | 0 | 2017–19 | 43 | 3 |
| Kristian Sarkies | Midfielder | 2005–07 | 45 | 3 | 2007–09 | 44 | 3 |
| Eugene Galekovic | Goalkeeper | 2005–07 | 22 | 0 | 2007–17 | 285 | 0 |
| Joe Keenan | Midfielder | 2007 | 17 | 0 | 2010–11 | 17 | 1 |
| Mate Dugandzic | Midfielder | 2009–10 | 40 | 8 | 2015–16 | 21 | 1 |
| James Jeggo | Midfielder | 2011–14 | 34 | 3 | 2014–16 | 51 | 4 |
| Scott Galloway | Defender | 2013–16 | 65 | 1 | 2018–19 | 34 | 1 |
| Jesse Makarounas | Forward | 2013–16 | 54 | 3 | 2016–17 | 13 | 1 |
| James Troisi | Midfielder | 2013–19 | 126 | 32 | 2019–20 | 13 | 1 |
| Nick Ansell | Defender | 2012–17, 18-19, 20-21 | 92 | 1 | 2021-24 | 113 | 3 |
Achievements
| National Title | Adelaide United | Melbourne Victory |
|---|---|---|
| A-League Premiership | 2 | 3 |
| A-League Championship | 1 | 4 |
| Australia Cup | 3 | 2 |
- Attendance records:
- 55,436 spectators (18 February 2007), at Docklands Stadium, Melbourne; result: Melbourne 6–0 Adelaide
- 53,273 attendees (28 February 2009), at Telstra Dome; match ended Melbourne 1–0 Adelaide
- Crowd of 47,413 (4 February 2007), Telstra Dome; final score Melbourne 2–1 Adelaide
- Audience of 33,126 (17 October 2014), Adelaide Oval, match concluded Adelaide 1–1 Melbourne
- Gathering of 32,368 fans (15 October 2006), Telstra Dome; outcome Melbourne 0–1 Adelaide