Two late goals propelled Melbourne Victory to a key win against Central Coast Mariners on Friday night at AAMI Park. The loss was the fifth in six games for the Mariners and the second 3-1 defeat to the Victory in five weeks. As a classic six-pointer, the Victory are now three points clear of both Central Coast and Adelaide United and only one point out of second place.
Three big points for Melbourne Victory against Central Coast Mariners
The Victory defeated the Mariners 3-1 for the second time in a month.
Michael Dodge
The Mariners nearly scored the opener in bizarre circumstances but Leigh Broxham’s header toward his own goal ricocheted off the post and Mitchell Duke could not do enough to challenge Lawrence Thomas in goal. So it was the Victory who ultimately scored first when Gui Finkler set up Jimmy Jeggo in the box just after the half-hour.
Thomas’ blunder in the 63rd minute left the goal mouth open and allowed Zac Anderson to equalize, but that was not the end of the goal scorer’s impact on the game. In the 77th minute, Anderson was called for a handball on an Archie Thompson shot, giving James Troisi a spot kick. Troisi knocked his penalty in off the underside of the crossbar for his third goal in the last two games against the Mariners.
Halftime substitute Kosta Barbarouses finished the game off in injury time, compliments of Thompson, to produce the final margin of 3-1. While the rest of the A-League still has games this weekend, the Victory are in a nice position, especially after last weekend’s poor, tired showing against Melbourne Heart.
Up next, however, is Match Day Two in the Champions League with the Victory hosting Jeonbuk Hyundai at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday March 12. Melbourne then return to league play Saturday March 15 at Perth Glory. The Mariners also host a Champions League game midweek with Sanfrecce Hiroshima coming to Central Coast Stadium on Tuesday March 11. That will be followed on March 15 with the F3 Derby against Newcastle Jets.
Scoring:
MVC Jeggo (Finkler) 31’
CCM Anderson 63’
MVC Troisi (pen) 77’
MVC Barbarouses (Thompson) 92’
Line-ups:
Melbourne Victory: Thomas; Galloway, Contreras, Broxham, Geria; Mahazi, Jeggo (Makarounas 87’), Thompson; Troisi (Brown 94’), Pain (Barbarouses 61’), Finkler
Unused substitutes: Coe, Murnane
Central Coast Mariners: Reddy; Sim, Griffiths, Anderson, Seip; Fitzgerald (Sterjovski 82’), Hutchinson, Caceras, Ibini (Simon 77’); Duke, Kim (Trifiro 67’)
Unused substitutes: Pasfield, Montgomery
See More:
