BILLED AS… The defending champions against the champions of defending.

IN REALITY… A tense tight affair with neither side really making any great breakthrough. Glory showed flashes of being dangerous while Victory continued to ease their way into the new season. I can't say too much more because it genuinely sent me to sleep midway through the second half.

THE GOOD… The Victory crowd turned out in their masses and in good voice. The atmosphere was electric in the Telstra Dome and they really do set the benchmark for every other club's fans.

THE BAD… Archie Thompson and Danny Allsopp haven't yet recovered the devastating form they showed last season. Carlos Hernandez looked unfit. Perth kept the game out of danger of ever getting too exciting.

THE UGLY… Naum Sekulovski's kick to the face won't be a pretty sight this morning, and Steve Pantelidis's challenge on him was pretty ugly too.

THEY SAID WHAT… “There were a lot of positives - we were resilient, and kept a clean sheet. We took away a point which is a little disappointing but overall I think we played well.” Victory's Kevin Muscat is a glass half-full kinda captain.

THE FALLOUT… Victory need to step up the goalscoring if they are to win the double again this season, not to mention hanging on to those magnificent fans. Glory look like they could go the whole season unbeaten...but also goalless too.

Melbourne Victory Michael Theoklitos (gk), Kevin Muscat (Cptn), Daniel Piorkowski, Steve Pantelidis (Leandro Love 66’), Grant Brebner, Daniel Allsopp, Archie Thompson, Joseph Keenan (Matthew Kemp 10’), Rodrigo Vargas, Carlos Hernandez (Kaz Patafta 46’), Leigh Broxham
Bookings Steve Pantelidis 25’, Carlos Hernandez 42, Kaz Patafta 51
Goalscorers None

Perth Glory Tommi Tomich (gk), Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Simon Colosimo, Dino Djulbic, Mate Dragicevic, Billy Celeski (Jamie Harnwell 79’), Leo Bertos, Nikita Rukavytsya (Nick Rizzo 70’), Jamie Coyne, Mitchell Prentice, Naum Sekulovski (Anthony Danze 46’)
Bookings Leo Bertos 70’, Anthony Danze 80’
Goalscorers None

MATCHRATING 2/5