Melbourne Victory have made a flying start to their mad March with a 3-1 A-League Men win over Macarthur FC at AAMI Park.
Kicking off a spell in which they will play seven games in 23 days – one of them in Japan – a brace from Nicholas D’Agostino and strike from Maro Rojas powered Victory to Friday night’s win; Apostolos Giannou’s goal a late consolation for the visitors.
The three-point haul, their first-ever against Macarthur, puts Victory level on points with fourth-placed Adelaide United and just one back of the third-placed Bulls.
They will now prepare to face Central Coast Mariners in Gosford on Wednesday, while Macarthur will look to bounce back away to Melbourne City on the same night.
Coach Ante Milicic’s side will need to improve on a performance in which it took until the 50th minute for them to register their first shot – a bicycle kick from Giannou.
That effort arrived with the Bulls already two goals down: D’Agostino putting Victory ahead in the 20th minute when he seized on a back pass from Aleksandar Susnjar, ran in on goal and fired past Filip Kurto.
In the thick of everything, a heavy challenge on Olyroo D’Agostino then led to a shoving match between the sides in the 30th minute.
But the 24-year-old recovered and responded with a goal in first-half stoppage time when a free-kick into the Bull penalty area ricocheted into his path.
Capping his night off, the attacker was then involved in the build-up that led to Josh Brillante perfectly picking Rojas out at close range in the 58th minute.
But the clean sheet was ruined when Victory keeper Ivan Kelava spilled a routine collection that eventually fell to Giannou for an open shot in the 90th minute.
RE-LIVE: Victory v Bulls, as it happened
By Matt Comito for KEEPUP
FULL-TIME: VICTORY 3-1 MACARTHUR
Victory dominated Macarthur in a magnificent performance in front of home fans soured by a late goal brought about by an individual error from goalkeeper Ivan Kelava.
Besides the late goal Macarthur barely had a sniff as Victory notched win number two on the bounce.
GOAL! Giannou spoils Victory clean sheet after Kelava blunder (9.36pm AEDT)
Ivan Kelava’s spill of a hopeful Bulls cross has ultimately prevented his side keeping a clean sheet, with Mariappa pouncing on the loose ball in the box before Apostolos Giannou found the back of the net.
The Victory gloveman was gritting his teeth in the aftermath, reflecting on the error which took the shine off his side’s otherwise comprehensive win.
GOAL! Victory putting the hammer down as Rojas gets in on the act (9.03pm AEDT)
That was classy from the home side, with D’Agostino sending Josh Brillante down toward the byline with a smart back-heel, allowing the Victory captain to pick out Marco Rojas sliding in at the back post to make it 3-0.
HALF-TIME: VICTORY 2-0 MACARTHUR
A heated first half comes to an end with Victory leading the way through Nick D’Agostino’s two strikes.
The home side were calling for greater referee intervention through the first half, with challenges from Bulls defender Adrian Mariappa on Jason Davidson and Charles M’Mombwa on D’Agostino both causing altercations between the two teams in the aftermath.
Referee Kurt Ams brandished three yellow cards throughout the opening stanza – all the Victory players – as frustration set in at AAMI Park. D’Agostino’s goal just before the break somewhat eases the tension.
GOAL! D’Agostino at the double (8.32pm AEDT)
Filip Kurto was off his line, but the Bulls keeper couldn’t clear Jake Brimmer’s swinging free-kick out of the danger zone. Instead the ball dropped to D’Agostino in the box, who shot on the turn to find the bottom-right corner and make it 2-0 in favour of the home side.
GOAL! D’Agostino pounces (8.05pm AEDT)
An errant back-pass from Aleksandar Šuśnjar gave Nick D’Agostino a sniff and that’s all he needed to punish the Bulls, as he nicked the ball aimed at Tommy Oar before driving in on goal and sliding his shot calmly into the bottom-right corner.
KICK-OFF (7.45PM AEDT)
The second game of an AAMI Park double-header is underway with Macarthur FC looking to close the gap to the top two. Victory, meanwhile are desperate to turn one win into two on the trot and build some form once more.
