Melbourne Victory trailed, then led, before conceding a late equaliser to Ben Garuccio in a 2-2 draw with Western United at AAMI Park on Thursday night.
Western took the lead before half-time with Daniel Penha’s seventh goal of the campaign but after Michael Ruhs failed to put the hosts out of sight from the penalty spot, Victory substitutes Ben Folami and Chris Ikonomidis struck twice in quick succession to put the third-placed side in command of the local derby.
But Western weren’t ready to take the result lying down, and in the final minute of regular time snatched a point back through Ben Garuccio’s calmly taken strike at the death.
Victory had claims for an early penalty when Western’s Michael Ruhs handled the ball in the penalty area, but referee Shane Skinner’s review on the pitchside monitor rolled back to the prior phase of play where another handball – this time from Victory defender Damien Da Silva – was picked out, preventing the award of the spot kick.
The early flurry of action subsided as the first half drifted by until Penha was prevented a glorious chance to score – his initial header ricocheted off Connor Chapman in the box and fell invitingly for the Brazilian but his centrally-placed shot was blocked out by Izzo.
Roderick Miranda showed close control to chop around his marker and fire just wide of the bottom-left corner in Victory’s best chance of the half, and Angus Thurgate failed to take advantage of a wide open goal after Izzo’s clearance, with his shot from another postcode to the goal drifting well wide.
Penha grew into the contest as the first half wore on and eventually broke the deadlock with his seventh goal of the season and fourth in five games.
Seven minutes into the second half, Western spurned the chance to take a two-goal lead when Ben Garuccio earned a penalty for the hosts.
Garuccio went down in the box in a tangle of arms and legs with Salim Khelifi and after taking his time to assess the incident, referee Skinner pointed to the spot. Victory players and staff were adamant Garuccio had instigated the contact before going to ground but the original decision stood.
Michael Ruhs stepped up to take the penalty but his execution lacked quality, and Izzo guessed the right way to make the save and keep his side in the game.
Victory head coach Tony Popovic brought Folami off his bench in the 67th minute hoping to revitalise his attack and the search for an equaliser and three minutes later the winger’s injection into the contest paid dividends.
Bruno Fornaroli created the equalising goal with a superb cross into the six-yard box, and Folami had the simple task of tapping it home to bring Victory level.
Ikonomidis was another of Popovic’s attacking substitutes brought into the game just prior to Folami’s equaliser, and the winger without a league goal since November 2022 was quickest to react to an attempted clearing header from Garuccio to break his drought and put Victory into the lead.
Da Silva provided the dangerous delivery into the box from the left wing and although Garuccio made first contact, Ikonomidis darted towards the front post, hooked his leg around Western defender Tomoki Imai and squeezed his volleyed effort into the bottom-right corner to put Victory in command.
Victory’s second of the night drew Popovic’s side to within a win of both Wellington Phoenix and Central Coast Mariners at the top of the live table – but there was to be another twist late in the game as Penha fed Garuccio into the box to score a dramatic equaliser.
Starring performance followed by incredible interview from the happiest player in the A-Leagues
Win, lose or draw, there’s no wiping the smile off the face of Daniel Penha right now.
After Western’s star midfielder assisted and scored in his side’s 2-2 stalemate with Victory, he laid all of his emotions bare as he summed up a dream stretch of form in the Isuzu UTE A-League, spurred on by the arrival of his wife Larissa from Brazil where she spent seven months apart from Penha undergoing cancer treatment.
Larissa arrived in Melbourne in February and it’s no surprise Penha’s form has lifted ever since; he’s scored two goals and assisted three more since reuniting with his wife who, after Thursday’s draw with Victory, joined Penha on the pitch for an emotional interview with Paramount+ reporter Michael Zappone.
“I need to say thank you… I feel so happy here,” said Penha. “I don’t know whats happening in Australia. I don’t know what’s happening here with this league. I feel like – I don’t know what I can say! I can’t explain.
“I’m so happy to have Larissa here, seven months apart and I’m so happy because the last three games we had, after she arrived, I’m so fresh because seven months apart, you know is very hard.
“The last three matches, I’ve scored two goals and three assists… I need to say thank you to Larissa, she made me strong.
“It (was) a very hard moment for her, and she never (gave) up… I love her and I’m so happy to have her here close to me and enjoying this country and this league together.”
