Nothing could separate Melbourne Victory and Auckland FC in their opening round Isuzu Ute A-League fixture on October 18, last season's semi-final combatants battling out a 0-0 draw at AAMI Park. Melbourne enjoyed the better of the early exchanges, but Auckland enjoyed the first opportunities of note, the first of them materialising in the seventh minute. Francis de Vries played the ball down the line for Marlee Francois to pursue, but Josh Inserra was first to it, only to direct his clearance into the winger. The ball rebounded to Jesse Randall, whose cross ricocheted off Jordi Valadon and rebounded behind Lachlan Brook, one of four new faces in the visitor's line-up. It was two of the first season stars who combined in the sixteenth minute, though, de Vries and Francois linking up again, with the latter's twenty-five yarder flying past Jack Duncan's right-hand post. Two minutes later, a Hiroki Sakai long throw-in wasn't cleared, prompting Jake Brimmer to ping the ball back into the danger zone. Melbourne goalkeeper Jack Duncan required two bites of the cherry to tidy things up, with Randall hovering with intent. Melbourne responded in the 24th minute via a free-kick from the eye-catching Denis Genreau which wasn't cleared. Lachlan Jackson hooked the ball back across goal, but Auckland tidied things up comfortably on this occasion. Five minutes later, Steve Corica's charges were threatening again, and should have opened the scoring. Francois whipped a corner right into the zone, and Jake Girdwood-Reich flicked it goalwards to Randall, who, standing just two yards out, somehow steered the ball across goal and past the far post, with Dan Hall inches away from directing it home. The game soon became something of an arm wrestle, with Melbourne enjoying the better of possession, but it was matched by Auckland's resolute defending, which, combined with their ability to threaten down either flank, made the visitors appear more of a threat. But it was the home team who carved out the best chance of the half, five minutes before its conclusion. Inserra, Clarismario Santos, Sebastian Esposito and Valadon combined on the right, his cross picking out Keegan Jelacic beyond the far post. Michael Woud produced a fine save to foil his volley, and ensure the half ended scoreless. Auckland spurned another chance to break the deadlock six minutes into the second spell, and

Randall was again a central figure. Louis Verstraete took charge of possession in midfield before threading a pass through to Brook, who powered into the penalty area, only for Randall to get in his way - a winger he is, a central striker he is not. Four minutes later, Sakai sent the ball down the right to Brook, whose cross invited Randall to let fly first time. The covering run of Esposito diverted the shot to safety, and prompted a Melbourne counter-attack, only for Auckland's resolute defending to slam shut every door Valadon attempted to open. Auckland went close again in the 63rd minute. De Vries' throw-in was flicked on by beanpole striker Sam Cosgrove to Randall, who laid the ball off to Verstraete. His shot flew past three defenders, but not Duncan, who was right behind it, as was Woud at the other end of the park two minutes later, as he kept out Genreau's twenty-yarder. A further two minutes elapsed before Esposito again thwarted Randall, after Sakai, Brook and Verstraete had combined on the right. Cue substitutions, with Juan Mata and Guillermo May adding quality to their respective team's attacking third. It was another substitute, Auckland's Logan Rogerson, who was involved in the next threat on goal, his wayward pass across the face of his own goal giving Santos a sniff before Girdwood-Reich snuffed out the Brazilian's hopes of breaking the deadlock fifteen minutes from time. Two minutes later, Melbourne threatened again, Mata threading a pass through for Santos, who got the better of Girdwood-Reich only for Woud to dash out and secure possession on the edge of his penalty area, then ignite a swift counter-attack which concluded when Esposito foiled May deep in Melbourne's penalty area. Both teams had chances to clinch victory in the dying minutes, with Randall shooting straight at Duncan upon being set up by Rogerson, while Sakai headed clear to foil a Melbourne raid inspired by the combination of Mata and Santos on the right. The game concluded as it began, however, with the scoreboard operator not being required to earn his keep on opening night. Melbourne:     Duncan; Inserra, Esposito, Jackson, Davidson; Valadon, Genreau, Stella (Mata, 68); Santos, Vergos (Reec, 83), Jelacic (Grimaldi, 68) Auckland:     Woud; Sakai, Hall, Girdwood-Reich, de Vries; Brook (May, 68), Brimmer (Howieson, 78), Verstraete (booked, 38), Francois (booked, 53); Randall (Rogerson, 68), Cosgrove (booked, 35 (Gillion, 78)) Referee:     Daniel Elder