The Newcastle Jets have overcome a late Melbourne Heart surge to defeat the Hyundai A-League newcomer 2-1 at Latrobe City Sports and Entertainment Stadium on Thursday night.
First-half strikes from Michael Bridges and Ali Abbas put the Jets in control, but the Heart hit back in second half with striker Gerald Sibon finding the back of the net.
The Heart pushed on in search of an equaliser in the final 20 minutes but came up short as the Jets held on for a confidence-boosting victory.
Melbourne coach John van ‘t Schip was pleased with his side’s ability to get back into the match in the second half.
“We had a few difficulties in the first half, but we identified key areas which were causing problems for us,” he said.
“We changed it a little in the second half and the performance was much improved. We were able to play our game, use the space and we did a lot more from the wings.”
“There was more clarity in the midfield during the second half, and they improved their communication as well as their positioning.”
The Heart kicks off the new Hyundai A-League season at AAMI Park against Central Coast on Thursday August 5.
