5 May 2011

Victory face tough time

4:24 pm on 5 May 2011

Mathematics is the only thing keeping the Melbourne Victory alive in the Asian Football Champions League.

So coach Mehmet Durakovic will send numbers into attack in the crucial Group E match next week which will decide the A-League club's fate.

Durakovic, whose team drew 1-1 with Gamba Osaka in Melbourne on Wednesday night, signalled the message he would give his team going into their away clash with Korea's Jeju United was "go for goal".

The Victory must win that game next Wednesday to have any hope of progressing to the competition's second stage.

Even then, they will need China's Tianjin Teda - who lead the group - to beat Gamba Osaka in Japan in the other match for their magic equation to balance.

In Australia's five seasons of ACL participation, only two A-League teams have qualified for the second stage.

Sydney FC became the latest to bow out on Tuesday.