SWEDE NOTHINGS

Half an hour played and Victory looking to get back into the game when the ball was played through to Ola Toivonen by Keisuke Honda. The big Swede has been Victory's best forward all season, but he got his range horribly wrong on this occasion and shanked one of the visitors few chances to get back on terms in the opening half.

DOUBLING UP

With half time approaching Sydney had stepped up a gear against a strangely listless Victory and Rhyan Grant found himself in plenty of room on the right. He whipped in a cross which eventually fell to Sydney skipper Alex Brosque on the left of the penalty area and he lashed home with a sweetly taken volley to double the advantage.

FRIENDLY FIRE

Should it have been allowed? VAR said okay, and that was all that mattered, but there were plenty who prepared to argue that Sydney's third first half goal - an own goal by Leigh Broxham - should have been ruled out. Victory's skipper deflected a cross past Thomas, but was Grant in an offside position and if so was he he interfering with Thomas's line of vision and thus affecting the goalkeeper's ability to make a save?

A SPOT OF BOTHER

The penalty not given at one end, and the penalty awarded at the other. Substitute Kenny Athiu appeared to be wrestled to the ground as he tried to get on the end of a cross near the Sydney goal, but play was waved on. Shortly after Victory defender Georg Niedermeier slid in and scythed the legs from under Adam Le Fondre at the other end, and a spot kick - converted by Le Fondre - was quickly awarded. At 4-0 there would be no way back for Victory.

NAILS IN THE COFFIN

Victory's humiliation was complete with more than 20 minutes to go when Sydney made it five with a goal which exemplified their domination: Brosque won the ball, quickly initiated a counter attack through Milos Ninkovic, who fed Le Fondre and the former Premier League striker finished first time with aplomb.  Ninkovic just rubbed further salt into the wound with a sixth goal in the last few minutes. It was one of Victory's worst ever losses and an awful stage on which to experience it. Toivonen's late consolation offered little solace.