Twenty-two players ran around Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening, but make no mistake - it was Harry Kewell who most of the 40,000 fans had come to see. The cheer reserved for Kewell's name when the stadium announcer went through the team lists was far and away the loudest.

Kewell's Melbourne Victory played out a 0-0 draw with Sydney FC to open the season, but it was an attacking game despite the final score.

Both teams created plenty of chances, but their respective keepers were up for the occasion. Victory keeper Ante Covic - who was signed only four days ago after starting keeper Tando Velaphi suffered a three-month knee injury - proved just about the only person in the stadium not overawed by the presence of two legendary Socceroos. His save of Brett Emerton's 34th-minute penalty has the Victory crowd in raptures.

Sydney can also thank their keeper, Liam Reddy, for the result. Reddy produced a string of saves to keep a clean sheet, the most impressive coming from a Kewell header just before half time, and a diving smother which denied Jean Carlo Solorzano who got free in the box in the dying minutes.

Sydney FC finished with 10 men after Mark Bridge was dismissed in the 74th minute for a stray elbow that sent Rody Vargas to the turf, directly in front of the referee.

In the final quarter of an hour, Victory pressed and pressed but were repeatedly denied by Reddy. Solorzano, on debut in dark blue, and Kewell were particularly productive in that period.

New Zealand 19-year-old Marco Rojas also starred along the wings in his first game for Victory.

But the buzz that rose every time Kewell got near the ball suggested the abnormally large crowd - it was the second-highest regular season attendance ever - was there for one reason. Kewell was keen to entertain, providing a highlight reel of back-heels, flick-ons, and even a shot from a good 50 metres.

In the second half, he seemed less intent on winning Play of the Day, putting more thought into his passing and bringing his teammates into the game. He was still the most likely avenue for Victory's opener, and he had a hand in just about every play that ended in a chance.

To that end, the Victory could probably stand to focus a bit less on him. Sometimes, having one player so far ahead of his teammates - in esteem and presence, if not ability - can be detrimental. Call it the Brendan Fevola syndrome, if you will.

Elsewhere, Melbourne Heart's season opener seemed headed for the same result before Newcastle Jets' South Korean defender Byun Sung-Hwan snatched a dramatic winner in the 92nd minute.

Heart's Mate Dugandzic and the Jets' Ryan Griffiths had both scored two goals to that point.

It took Dugandzic, in his first game since defecting from cross-town rivals Victory, just 24 minutes to open his account in red and white. Griffiths responded with a well-struck free kick just six minutes later, and gave the home side the lead with a powerful strike just before half time.

Dugandzic equalised shortly after the restart when heart skipper Fred - another former Victory player - drifted a cross to the far post. The game remained at 2-2 until Byun's goal two minutes into injury time. Incredibly, it was the 31-year-old's first ever career goal.

For Newcastle, it was a dream start after a controversial week in which they sacked their coach, Branko Culina, and his son, midfielder Jason Culina, before the latter had ever taken the field as a Jet.

At Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Roar kicked their season off with a 1-0 win over Central Coast Mariners. Mitch Nichols scored the game's only goal in the 71st minute.

Fears that the Roar would feel the effects of losing Solorzano and former skipper Matt McKay, among others, may have been premature as the team comfortably extended their unbeaten streak to 29 games.