Melbourne City keeper Dean Bouzanis said their goal in Sunday’s 1-0 win over the Mariners was a move they’d worked on in training.
The game’s deciding goal, a terrific team effort was created by Luke Brattan and finished off by Scottish striker Ross McCormack – his first from open play in the Hyundai A-League.
But the goal started from smart thinking by Bouzanis who saw the possibilities and found Brattan with a long-range clearance from his box into the Mariners half.
“It’s something we work on during the week,” the keeper told Fox Sports.
“Credit to the boys because it takes them time to know when it’s right to do it and when it’s not right.
“Brattsy [Brattan] peeled off to the left and he managed to knock it [the long ball from Bouzanis] down brilliantly and it’s collectively a good goal because it was good play before that.
“Dean deserved the goal because it was a great cross,” added City defender Bart Schenkenfeld.
And Schenkenfeld felt City got “scared” late in the game, dropping deep and allowing the Mariners to dominate the final stages as they pushed for an equaliser.
“Everybody goes back [into defence] and it’s a little my fault, I have to push them up but in the end we win, and now Sydney [FC, next week].”
The win for City keeps the pressure on Newcastle Jets in second spot.
