A stunning display by Archie Thompson has given the Melbourne Victory a brilliant 5-0 win over Sydney FC, propelling the Victorian-based club to the top of the Hyundai A-League table.
In front of a sellout crowd of 18,206 at Olympic Park, Thompson played a part in each of the first four goals of the game - scoring two himself, including the goal of the season thus far - as the Victory mesmerised Sydney with brilliant passing and team play.
Leading 1-0 at half-time, the Victory, helped by Ufuk Talay's send off in the 58th minute, put four goals past a shell-shocked Sydney defence in the second half to thrash their northern rivals.
The Victory had the first chance of the game in the third minute when Kevin Muscat's through ball found Thompson, but his volley was sprayed over the cross bar.
Only minutes later Richard Kitzbichler thrilled the sellout crowd, beating three with a dazzling run through the midfield before passing to Thompson, whose cross eluded both Kitzbichler ’Äì who had run on into the box ’Äì and Danny Allsopp.
A fiery 10-minute spell followed with Muscat and Sasho Petrovski both collecting yellow cards for indiscretions and Sydney pair Terry McFlynn and Steve Corica suffering the same punishment for back-chatting to the referee.
Having withstood the home side's opening burst, Sydney poured the pressure on, earning four corners in less than five minutes.
But they squandered a golden opportunity to score in the 21st minute when David Carney's shot found Dwight Yorke unmarked just two metres from a vacant goal, but the Trinidadian managed just weak poke which was saved by Eugene Galekovic.
Thompson then enjoyed a brilliant spell which saw his breathtaking runs set up shots at goal for Michael Ferrante, Kitzbichler and himself, but it was his run in the 33rd minute which proved most incisive.
After leaving Andrew Packer flailing in his wake on the wing, Thompson dribbled into the box before feeding back to Kitzbichler, the Austrian import's brilliant left-foot strike beating a hapless Clint Bolton to give the Victory first blood.
Sydney almost conceded a second goal at the stroke of half-time when Allsopp's flick over the head of Bolton, who had come out to the edge of his box, almost lobbed into the vacant goal, before suffering its fourth yellow card of the half after Alvin Ceccoli fouled Kitzbichler.
The Victory doubled their lead in the 53rd minute when Muscat converted from the spot after Thompson, with only the keeper to beat, was fouled by Iain Fyfe.
Thompson got his name on the scoresheet four minutes later with what could possibly be the goal of the season.
Surrounded by three defenders when he received Kitzbichler's cross just metres from the goal line, Thompson turned each opponent inside-out with deft footwork before slotting home the Victory's third for the game.
Things could not have gone much worse for the visitors but they did, reduced to 10 men when Talay was given his marching orders by referee Matthew Breeze, before Thompson struck again in the 68th minute.
Set up by Kitzbichler, Thompson's fierce header forced a stunning save from Bolton but the keeper could not hold on to the ball and the Qantas Socceroo pounced for his second of the game.
The rout continued in the 77th minute, Muscat converting his second penalty after Andrew Vlahos was fouled and Ricky Diaco and Allsopp both had shots defended on the line in the same piece of play.
Despite being willed on by a vocal crowd, the Victory were unable to make it six but nevertheless have announced themselves as the team to beat in the inaugural season of the Hyundai A-League.