Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC have played out a six-goal thriller in the A-League at the Etihad Stadium.

The home side took the lead after just 11 minutes when Archie Thompson converted from close range after good work from Fahid Ben Khalfallah, who initially found Besart Berisha inside the box.

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Three minutes later, however, Sydney were level when Marc Janko collected a clever pass from Shane Smeltz before finishing into the bottom corner.

Melbourne came close to regaining the lead after 30 minutes, but Sydney goalkeeper Vedran Janjetovic was on hand to deny Berisha, who had met a dangerous cross from Kosta Barbarouses.

The hosts moved ahead in first-half stoppage time, however, when Thompson found the bottom corner for his second of the match.

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Sydney started the second period as the more adventurous side and had their reward after 51 minutes when Smeltz headed a dangerous cross from Alex Gersbach into the back of the net.

Melbourne came close to regaining the lead just past the hour mark, but Janjetovic was on hand to deny Barbarouses from close range.

Instead, it was the visitors that moved ahead with Smeltz's second after 76 minutes, but Thompson grabbed his third three minutes later to leave the scores level at 3-3.

Sydney came close to snatching all the points late on with a close-range header from Sebastian Ryall, but Nathan Coe made an impressive save as the match finished all square.

The result has left Melbourne second in the table, while Sydney sit fourth.