VICTORY DEALT GOALKEEPER BLOW

Australian A-League giants Melbourne Victory have been dealt a huge blow following the news that goalkeeper Matt Acton will miss the start of the new league season in Australia.

• Acton will miss the start of the Australian A-League Men’s season in the colours of Melbourne Victory due to injury. The shot stopper is facing up to two months on the sidelines after he picked up a back injury.Melbourne Victory goalkeeper Acton sustained the aforementioned back injury during a trial game organised within the club and it has been revealed that he could miss four to eight weeks of action thus ruling him out of the start of the new league season.
  Acton, 29, shared goalkeeping duties with New Zealand man Max Crocombe at Victory last season, but Crocombe has left the club for Grimsby Town in the English league. Acton featured 16 times for Victory last season.

  On the injury to Acton, Melbourne Victory manager Tony Popovich was gutted for him as he got injured with two weeks to go before the start of the season. Popovich further said via the club’s official website that officials would be working closely with the shot stopper to aid his quick return from the injury.

  In the absence of Acton, Victory will turn to Marko Bulic and Croatian Ivan Kelava to fill the void. Jerrad Tyson is also an option as he’s on an injury-replacement at the club.

  On Tyson, Popovich said that he was given a contract so as to complement the goalkeeping options at the club alongside Ivan and Marko.

  32-year-old Tyson has joined Melbourne Victory from NPL Victoria side Green Gully and his last appearance in the A-League came three years ago.

  Melbourne Victory start the new league season against Western United on November 20. The target is to significantly improve on last position from last season.