Victory too good for Reds in A-League
Jan 7, 2017 - 12:02 PM Melbourne Victory has notched its fifth win on the trot with a clinical 2-0 defeat of Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium.James Troisi starred for the visitors with a goal and an assist, while bottom side Adelaide remains without a win since beating Wellington Phoenix on December 4.
Troisi was lively early on and set up Fahid Ben Khalfallah in the seventh minute with a through ball but the attack was thwarted by Tarek Elrich and Eugene Galekovic.
The Reds then had a couple of chances when Sergi Guardiola poked his shot past the upright in the 10th minute before Sergio Cirio also narrowly missed the target after a brilliant solo run.
With chances flowing at both ends, it took something special from Adelaide-born Troisi to break the deadlock on 22 minutes.
Leigh Broxham found plenty of space on the left flank and whipped in a cross which was only partially cleared, leaving Troisi to bend a first-time shot into the top corner from the edge of the box.
Besart Berisha had been quiet for much of the first half but almost doubled Victory's lead with a close range header if not for a quick reflex save from Galekovic.
After the restart the intensity continued from both sides with the Reds pushing for an equaliser.
It almost came just after the hour when Isaias struck a superb free kick from 25 metres only for it to rebound off the cross bar.
Three minutes later Troisi popped up again to dent any hopes of a United fight back, this time providing the assist.
The Victory playmaker whipped in a free kick to the near post where Berisha was perfectly placed to place a powerful header into the bottom corner.
Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat said his side were deserved winners.
"If you want to consider moments or what ifs, we had an opportunity to be two or three up at half time," Muscat said.
"You can't deny us the fact we deserved the three points tonight and played very well."
United coach Guillermo Amor was again left to wonder what might have been.
"Today, the players gave everything," Amor said.
"And they normally give everything and that is the most important.
"We will try to improve, try to improve the situation, the results."
Source: AAP
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