Vic brawl death link to car at soccer game

A brawl between two gangs that left a 17-year-old boy dead in Melbourne is believed to have been sparked after a car was taken from a soccer tournament.

The fight between up to 30 teenagers and men aged in their early 20s broke out near Keilor Plains railway station in Melbourne's western suburbs about 1.30am on Sunday.

"This is a dispute between two groups who are known to each other that has escalated with tragic consequences," Homicide Squad detective inspector Tim Day said on Monday.

The 17-year-old victim, from South Australia, was assaulted in the fight and collapsed on nearby Regan Street.

The teenager - named by media outlets as Aguer Akech Lual - died at the scene.

A silver Holden Commodore sedan with the SA number plate, S111 AZI, was taken from a soccer tournament at Green Gully Reserve in Keilor Downs on Saturday evening.

An altercation took place at the reserve during the all-day tournament, police believe.

"This may well have been the catalyst," Det Insp Day said.

At least 10 youths of African descent went to the Keilor Plains railway station about 11.30pm.

They then headed to a property on nearby Fox Street where a verbal stoush occurred about 10 minutes before the fatal fight.

The group - including the victim - were chased back to the train station and the brawl broke out between the rivals involving between 20 to 30 people, the homicide squad detective said.

Weapons including steel rods, golf clubs fence railing were involved in the fight and at least one person had a knife.

"This type of activity...for 20 to 30 young males to be fighting in the street with weapons is of concern to us. It's really important we solve this as quickly as possible," he said.

Males in the second group left in three vehicles from the scene including the silver Holden. The two other vehicles have not been identified.

"We now have a family and a community in mourning and I have no doubt there are people who were involved in the dispute or have heard accounts, who are yet to speak to police and know what happened," the inspector said.

He urged those who may have information to come forward, especially if they knew who may have killed the 17-year-old boy.

Anyone with information, CCTV footage, dashcam footage and those who may have found "foreign objects" on their properties have also been urged to come forward.

Police are particularly interested in people who were in the areas of Taylors Road to the north, Newcombe Drive to the west, Biggs Street to the south and Leslie Street to the east.