A first ever Isuzu UTE A-League goal from Samuel Souprayen was enough to help Melbourne City defeat league-leaders Wellington Phoenix 1-0 at AAMI Park and reignite their finals charge.
The home side had the better chances in the game and were rewarded for their play in the second half when the excellent Tolgay Arslan delivered a pinpoint cross for Souprayen to head home.
The visitors struggled to create clear-cut chances at AAMI Park but will feel as though they should have snatched a point as Kosta Barbarouses fired wide of the target when one-on-one with City goalkeeper Jamie Young.
The result snaps a five game winless run for Aurelio Vidmar’s side and crucially leaves them just two points behind sixth-placed Western Sydney Wanderers.
The big news coming into the contest was the fact head coach Aurelio Vidmar had opted to leave club captain and Golden Boot holder Jamie Maclaren on the bench in favour of young striker Max Caputo whilst also selecting Souprayen ahead of Curtis Good.
“(They’re) not really big decisions to be honest,” said a defiant Vidmar when speaking to Paramount+ about the two notable absentees from his starting line-up. “Macca has been trying his butt off the last couple of months and hasn’t been able to get the elusive goal.
“So I just thought taking a bit of pressure off him and starting him on the bench tonight was probably a better decision. We spoke about that a couple of weeks ago.”
On Souprayen he added: “Just with Sammy’s height, I know Curtis is not small, but Sammy’s height with their balls into the box was always going to be something that we were going to deal well with.
“I think he won a lot of balls in the box tonight and he also got us the goal so that was great.”
Souprayen’s selection certainly proved to be a masterstroke but Vidmar was also full of praise for the young man he selected in place of Maclaren, praising Caputo’s all-round ability.
“The last couple of months his training has been really, really top notch. He’s a great finisher, he can play with his back to goal, he can link the midfield for us.
“He’s just been waiting and waiting and waiting and his performances in training haven’t dropped so he’s got the right attitude.”
As for Wellington, Giancarlo Italiano’s side suffered just their third loss of the season while the defeat also means they could be knocked off top spot come Sunday evening should the Mariners defeat Macarthur FC.
The home side controlled the early possession and would have taken the lead in the 14th minute were it not for an incredible, point-blank save from Wellington keeper Alex Paulsen.
Cutting in off the left flank, City winger Leo Natel whipped a dangerous ball into the box which was headed towards his own goal by ‘Nix defender Scott Wooton, however Paulsen produced a stunning reflex save to keep it goalless.
Given the nod ahead of club captain Jamie Maclaren, young forward Max Caputo came close to opening the scoring in the 26th minute but the 18-year-old was denied by Paulsen when one-on-one inside the box.
In response to that effort Wellington’s Ben Old almost broke the deadlock on the approach to half time but the midfielder’s ferocious effort from a tight angle flew over the bar.
Carrying their superiority over into the second half Melbourne City finally found the breakthrough in the 58th minute and it came from an unlikely source.
Opting to take a short corner, Vicente Fernandez laid the ball off to Arslan who then curled a magnificent cross over the Wellington defence and onto the head of the arriving Souprayen, who nodded the ball past a stranded Paulsen to make it 1-0.
Souprayen was then involved again, this time in the 71st minute, out-jumping his marker to head the ball into the path of Caputo and while the young forward pipped the on-rushing Paulsen to the ball, his goal-bound effort was brilliantly hooked off the line by the retreating Finn Surman.
City were then thanking their lucky stars in the 81st minute as a brilliant through ball from Bozhidar Kraev sent Barbarouses baring down on goal but the in-form striker fluffed his lines when one-on-one with Jamie Young.
Marin Jakolis could have killed the game off in the final seconds of the match but curled his shot wide of the target however City held on to seal their 100th home win in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
