More pain for Victory – A League wrap

A WEEK after Melbourne Victory copped a 6-0 hiding from Melbourne City, coach Grant Brebner was fuming after the A-League club suffered a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Adelaide United at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.

The Reds fought back from Jake Brimmer’s early goal to equalise, then seize control – snaring three points, while leaving Brebner to sound off over his last-placed team’s inept defending.

“I sat here last week, humiliated. Tonight I sit here really, really angry at the way we gifted goals to the opposition tonight,” Brebner said.

“Because we had some good players performance-wise tonight but I’ve come in here and I’ve always protected and stood by – but when you defend like that, we’re in trouble.”

After Robbie Kruse and Rudy Gestede scuppered early chances, Victory seized the advantage when Callum McManaman was brought down outside the area.

Brimmer’s 28th-minute free kick was a thing of beauty – clattering off the crossbar and dropping just over the line.

But Victory enjoyed just seven minutes of joy before Adelaide responded in the 35th.

Leigh Broxham failed to clear Javi Lopez’s ball into the box, and it fell for Stefan Mauk, who ghosted in behind Jacob Butterfield and smashed home the equaliser.

Kusini Yengi was brought onto the field for the Reds in the 56th minute and just two minutes later, he hit the post. On his second attempt, in the 61st minute, Yengi would not be denied.

Lopez released Craig Goodwin and the Socceroos winger squared the ball for a leaping Yengi to tap home.

In the 67th minute, Broxham received his fifth yellow card of the season for a challenge on Yengi – meaning he’ll miss next week’s clash with Sydney.

Ten minutes later, Yengi centred the ball for Mauk to power home his second and secure Adelaide’s fourth consecutive victory.

 

United get depth win

 

Western United coach Mark Rudan has hailed his club’s depth after the team snapped a two-game losing streak with a 1-0 win over Brisbane Roar on Sunday night at AAMI Park.

Alessandro Diamanti came off the bench to deliver a marvellous assist for Dylan Pierias’ 72nd-minute header but Besart Berisha only provided a substitute cameo.

Rudan lauded the impressive work of teenage midfielder Luke Duzel and winger-turned-striker Lachie Wales in their respective rare starts.

“People think we heavily rely on those two [Diamanti and Berisha] so it was up to the players that came in,” Rudan said.

“We were a very different team, we can do things without them. They give obviously some certain skill sets and quality, as you saw with Dia’s assist.

“I thought it was a great team performance tonight when we needed it most.”

In the process, United extended the Roar’s winless run to six games with Warren Moon’s side last securing three points against Melbourne Victory on 6 February.

Western United goalkeeper Ryan Scott put on a show between the sticks, denying Riku Danzaki in the 10th minute, then again in the 23rd.

Pierias spurned opportunities to open the scoring in the 55th and 59th minute, while Wales had the ball in the back of the net in the 63rd but was offside.

In the 72nd, Diamanti dinked an incredible left-footed ball over the Roar defence, where it bounced for a brave, diving Pierias to head home.

 

Electric City storm past Bulls

 

Melbourne City have blown past Macarthur FC 3-0 to win their fourth game on the bounce and highlight their A-League title credentials.

Form striker Jamie Maclaren scored a three-minute brace with Craig Noone adding the third goal as City dismantled the Bulls.

City effectively wrapped up three points in a 13-minute scoring blitz, with Socceroo Andrew Nabbout having a hand in all three goals at AAMI Park.

“Since he’s come back he’s showed a lot of great qualities and we’re always trying to improve him in our style and the way we process that,” said City coach Patrick Kisnorbo.

“He’s great to work with – he wants to learn, wants to improve and when you have players like that in your squad, it makes things easier.”

In the 23rd minute, Nabbout slid a brilliant ball through to Nathaniel Atkinson – after Macarthur failed to track the full-back’s run – who dinked a cross to the back post for Maclaren to head home.

Two minutes later, City skipper Scott Jamieson sliced a delightful ball through to Nabbout, who worked a pass to a criminally-unmarked Maclaren.

The Socceroo’s first shot was cleared off the line by Antony Golec but Maclaren reacted quickest to bury the rebound – his 10th goal in as many matches this season.

Maclaren just missed a chance to snare his hat-trick in the 34th minute but City scored a minute later when Nabbout released Noone, who cut inside Mark Milligan, sending the Bulls skipper sprawling, then casually finished on his right foot.

While City eased off in the second half, Macarthur were unable to mount a response and suffered their second-consecutive loss.

 

– BY ANNA HARRINGTON/ AAP