Two first-half goals to Melbourne Victory laid the platform for an emphatic 3-0 win over a 10-man Adelaide United on Saturday night at AAMI Park.
Two days after arriving back from Shanghai following a 4-1 defeat against SIPG in the Asian Champions League, Victory got back to winning ways to consolidate their top four ambitions in the Hyundai A-League.
For the Reds, after just nine minutes of the second half, half-time substitute Džengis Čavušević saw red.
It made Adelaide’s task virtually impossible.
And four minutes later, Besart Berisha tapped in a third as the home side pressed home their advantage.
SEE ALL THE GOALS and relive the game in the MATCH CENTRE
STORY OF THE GAME
- CALM BEFORE STORM A relatively subdued opening 20 minutes
- GOAL VICTORY! An own goal for Taylor Regan and it’s 1-0 after 21 mins
- GOAL VICTORY! A superb set piece by Leroy George and it’s 2-0 after 28 mins.
- TENSIONS BOIL OVER Berisha and Regan tangle and Isaias gets involved as both sets of players come together.
- HALF TIME 2-0 A slow burn but this one boiled over very quickly. Two quick goals to Victory and plenty of feeling between these two rivals.
- SUB ON Big striker Džengis Čavušević on for Reds
- RED CARD! Čavušević is off after just nine minutes! An incident with Rhys Williams has the Slovenian seeing red and Adelaide United down to 10 men after 54 mins.
- BERISHA SCORES! It’s 3-0 and the great man with a tap-in on 58 mins puts the game beyond the Reds. It’s going from bad to worse for United.
- VICTORY IN CONTROL Reds looking a beaten team as the hosts make the Reds chase the ball.
GOALS
Regan (OG) Victory 1-0, 21′
Leroy George crosses to the back post and Troisi heads it back across the face of goal. The ball gets between Berisha and Taylor Regan and the goalkeeper is left stranded. A slight nick from Regan directed the ball to squeeze in at the back post.
George Victory 2-0, 28′
No doubt who scores Victory’s second. Over 25 yards out, George bends a free-kick around the wall and into the top corner to the right of Izzo, who was beaten for pace. Terrific goal.
Berisha Victory 3-0, 58′
Some intricate passing and a deflection allow Broxham to find George who steams into the box. He shows great composure to flick it square to Berisha, who keeps his composure to beat Izzo.
