Kosta Barbarouses returned to haunt his former club, scoring the winner as Sydney FC downed Melbourne Victory 2-1 at Kogarah on Sunday night.
The New Zealand international tapped home with 20 minutes to play as Sydney FC continued their excellent record against Victory, now winning 10 of their last 13 Big Blue clashes.
The 51st Big Blue wasn't as exciting as the 50th, when Sydney FC thrashed Victory 6-1 at Kogarah in their semi-final on the way to winning the championship last season.
But the Sky Blues did continue their excellent record at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium in front of their biggest home crowd since round two of last season with more than 16,000 fans making their way to Kogarah.
While Sydney FC were the better side they didn't have it all their own way as Victory took the lead against the run of play on the stroke of half-time.
Josh Hope whipped in a fabulous cross from the right side for Swedish striker Ola Toivonen to head home for his fourth goal in five games against Sydney and third goal in as many games at Kogarah.
The Sky Blues had the better of possession and field position in the first half but were slightly sluggish in the final third, possibly due to coming off the bye last week, as they struggled to create chances.
Toivonen went close to extending Victory's lead early in the second half with a free kick that whistled past Andrew Redmayne's post before Sydney drew level.
Adam Le Fondre had shanked a good chance moments earlier before Milos Ninkovic forced a good save from Victory goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas, resulting in a Sky Blues corner.
Alex Wilkinson knocked down the cross for Le Fondre to head home the equaliser, his ninth goal in 10 games at Kogarah.
Le Fondre then headed another chance over the bar before Barbarouses put Sydney in front with the Sky Blues' second goal in seven minutes.
Ninkovic teed up Brandon O'Neill, whose cross found Rhyan Grant at the back post. The Socceroos defender chested the ball down for Barbarouses, with the former Victory attacker hitting the cross bar before toeing home the rebound.
Sydney held on to earn the three points and sit second on the A-League table. The Sky Blues travel to Perth to take on the Glory in a repeat of last season's grand final next weekend.
Sydney FC will play 10 of their 13 home games at Kogarah this season, their majority home ground while Moore Park's Allianz Stadium is redeveloped. The Sky Blues return to Jubilee on December 7 when they host Brisbane in round nine.
Leader Scoreboard
A-League
Sydney FC 2 (Adam Le Fondre 61', Kosta Barbarouses 68')
defeated
Melbourne Victory 1 (Ola Toivonen 45')
at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium
Crowd: 16,116
