Melbourne Victory finally have their first win of the Hyundai A-League season after two second half goals saw off an under-strength Perth Glory 2-0 at nib Stadium.
Besart Berisha and Leroy George both scored in the space as 11 minutes as Kevin Muscat’s men broke free from the shackles of a six-game winless run.
The absences of Adam Taggart and Diego Castro proved too great for Glory to overcome, although they did provide a debut for 16-year-old Jacob Italiano.
Victory, in contrast, looked assured in attack and defence as they hurdled the hosts into sixth at the end of Round 7.
STORY OF THE GAME
- James Troisi scuffed his shot when presented with the best opportunity of the opening exchanges.
- Berisha went closer midway through the half, denied only by the woodwork as his intelligent flick-on header from Milligan’s dinked cross came back off the post.
- Brandon Wilson next tested Lawrence Thomas from distance, before Liam Reddy and Shane Lowry made important interventions at the other end.
- Italiano directed a low finish the wrong side of the near post late in the half.
- Lowry started the second half the way he finished the first, brilliantly blocking another Troisi shot.
- But he could not stop Victory from finally making the breakthrough 10 minutes into the second half, Berisha burying his third of the campaign.
- And George soon poked home to double the advantage.
- Thomas Deng and Ingham both wasted good chances to truly put it beyond doubt, but their misses mattered little as the home side closed out a comfortable win.
GOALS
Berisha, Melbourne Victory 56′: 0-1
Victory worked a counter-attack out to Jai Ingham, who fired in a superb low cross from the right which Berisha gleefully tucked away.
George, Melbourne Victory 67′: 0-2
Dutch winger George poked past Reddy at point-blank range after Troisi nutmegged two defenders in the lead-up.
