Melbourne Victory have defeated Melbourne Heart 2-0 through late goals in a cagey encounter in the Foxtel National Youth League on Sunday at Lakeside Stadium.
Melbourne Victory have defeated Melbourne Heart 2-0 through late goals in a cagey encounter in the Foxtel National Youth League on Sunday at Lakeside Stadium.
Andrew Nabbout’s well taken 86th minute goal and Jesse Makarounas’ stoppage time drive secured the points for Victory in a game that created few clear cut opportunities.
Both sides struggled to find rhythm of play in a game disrupted by fouls and two organised defences.
Victory had the lion-share of possession, looked to fashion opportunities on the break via the flanks while probing around the box for opportunities when Heart had reorganised after losing possession.
Heart’s defensive organisation contained Victory for most of the game creating some chances of their own, primarily from crosses from wide to the centre of the penalty box.
Andrew Mullet’s glancing header from a Heart set-piece almost opened the scoring in the 5th minute however Victory custodian Lawrence Thomas was able to turn it around the far post at a stretch.
Victory’s best chance for the half came from a free kick earned by a driving run from Dylan Murnane, with Gui Finkler curling his free kick just wide of the post.
Victory toiled to create opportunities from wide with far post crosses being harmlessly poked wide by Nabbout and then Chris Cristaldo twice.
Heart’s wide-play almost paid dividends just before halftime with Alexander Dao’s deep cross from the right being headed wide by Marcus Schroen.
The game appeared to be headed for a stalemate when a rare scoring chance was cleared off the line by Heart from a solid Nicholas Ansell header from a set-piece in the 76th minute.
The deadlock was finally broken ten minutes later as Nabbout was played through and his chest down and well-taken swivel volley from just inside the box got under the outstretched palm of Heart custodian Marko Stevanja to give Victory the lead with four minutes to spare.
Heart almost immediately equalised after desperation to keep the ball alive in the box by Heart forwards allowed the ball to fall to substitute Matthew Millar who was unable to put a shot on target from fifteen yards, flashing by the post.
Jesse Makarounas sealed the points for Victory soon after in the 91st minute after Nabbout set him up after a quick burst to finish low into the bottom left corner from the edge of the box.
The result means back-to-back wins for Victory leap-frogging their city rivals on the table as Heart drop their first points in this 2013/2014 National Youth League campaign.
Melbourne Victory 2 (Nabbout 86m, Makarounas 90+1m)
Melbourne Heart 0
Melbourne Victory: 3. Milos Ridesic (2. James Karvelis 61′),, 4. Nicholas Ansell, 5. Dylan Murnane, 6. Rashid Mahazi (10. John Buceto 61′), 7. Chris Cristaldo (14. Anthony Proia 61′), 8. Luc Jeggo (c), 9. Jesse Makarounas, 11. Gui Finkler, 13. Andrew Nabbout, 16. Scott Galloway, 20. Lawrence Thomas (GK)
Yellow Card: Rashid Mahazi 34′, Nabbout 78′
Melbourne Heart: 1. Marko Stevanja (GK), 3. Philip Petreski (c), 4. Andrew Mullet, 5. Ross Archibald, 6. Alexander Dao, 7. Hernan Espindola (2. Andrew Cartanos 61′), 8. Sam Mitchinson,10. Marcus Schroen, 11. Jonathan Bounas (12. Matthew Millar 61′), 13. Tyler James (15. Baki Efe 61′), 14. Ersin Kaya
Yellow Card: Marcus Schroen 7′, Ersin Kaya 73′
