Auckland FC bounced back from their midweek loss to Perth Glory in emphatic fashion, brushing aside Melbourne City 3-0 to temporarily move back to the top of the Isuzu UTE A-League.
The home side took the lead in stunning fashion in the 32nd minute when Guillermo May bent a brilliant curling effort into the top corner from the edge of the box to make it 1-0.
Now full of confidence, Auckland then added a second on the approach to half-time as defender Nando Pijnaker thumped a left-footed strike high into the roof of the net following a scramble inside the City box.
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Things got even better for the Black Knights in first-half stoppage time when Max Mata converted from close range, tapping home the loose ball from a corner to all but seal the three points.
Despite making several changes in the second-half Steve Corica’s Auckland FC had plenty of chances to extend their lead as Melbourne City shot-stopper Beach was called into action on several occasions.
One positive for Melbourne City will be the fact Socceroo Mathew Leckie gained more match minutes as he continues to his journey back to full fitness following a hamstring injury.
The result edges the Black Knights back on top of the Isuzu UTE A-League following their eighth win of the campaign.
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Meanwhile defeat for Melbourne City brings about an end to their seven-game unbeaten run and Aurelio Vidmar’s side could find themselves as low as fifth on the ladder come the end of the round.
A cagey affair burst into life in the 32nd minute when Uruguayan striker May took aim from outside the box and bent a gorgeous strike into the top corner to send the Auckland fans wild.
With Go Media Stadium now rocking the Black Knights bagged their second of the afternoon before the break and it came via the boot of central defender Pijnaker.
Controlling a bouncing ball inside the box, Pijnaker shifted the ball onto his trusty left foot before rifling one past Beach and into the roof of the net.
Now seeing plenty of action, Beach was forced into a brilliant reaction save as he leapt to his left to paw away a header from Mata, however the forward would get the better of his opposite number from the resulting corner.
Reacting fastest to a ricochet inside the box, Mata turned the ball home from the in-swinging delivery and the goal was given despite the ball hitting the striker on the arm before he converted.
With the result seemingly in the bag the home side could afford to take their foot off the gas in the second half but despite possessing a three-goal advantage, they still looked the more dangerous of the two teams.
Searching for an equaliser, Melbourne City boss Vidmar threw on Socceroo Mathew Leckie for the final 15 minutes in the hope of providing a spark but in truth it was the Black Knights who went closest to adding a fourth.
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With City losing the ball, Auckland winger Neyder Moreno spotted Beach off his line and attempted an audacious lob from inside his own half which had the goalkeeper sprawling back towards his own goal to prevent what would have been a quite incredible effort.
Subbed on late in the contest, Auckland FC debutant Marlee Francois was then denied a dream debut after seeing his low, left-footed effort saved by Beach before the keeper then produced a top-class save from a rasping effort from substitute Cam Howieson.
Leckie then had an effort cleared off the line in second-half stoppage time as Auckland cruised to a 3-0 win which temporarily moves then back to the top of the Isuzu UTE A-League.