Western Sydney Wanderers have crashed to their heaviest A-League defeat to Melbourne Victory, a fortnight before their AFC Champions League final with Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal.
Victory smashed Wanderers 4-1, with their first three goals coming in the opening 28 minutes against a flat-footed Western Sydney defence.
New boys Matthieu Delpierre and Besart Berisha were on the score sheet along with Leigh Broxham and evergreen striker Archie Thompson in a rousing start to the new season for the two-time A-League champions.
Mark Bridge reduced the deficit before halftime but there was no denying Victory, with Berisha, in his first match since switching from champions Brisbane Roar, turning provider to thread Thompson through for 4-1.
Wanderers clearly missed their defensive linchpin Nikolai Topor-Stanley, away on international duty with the Socceroos, along with defender Matthew Spiranovic and first-choice striker Tomi Juric.
Wanderers will have home advantage in the first leg of the two-leg final against Al Hilal on 25 October, with the second leg in Saudi Arabia on 1 November.
Source: FIFA.com