KEEPUP followed along LIVE to bring you all the goals, highlights, up to date scores and biggest talking points from two Isuzu UTE A-League fixtures on Wednesday night.
- Melbourne Victory 1-1 Western United
MATCH REPORT: Victory snatch late ALM draw with United in Broxham milestone match
- Brisbane Roar 1-2 Melbourne City
MATCH REPORT: Depleted City rally to beat Roar in ALM
REACTION
‘I’ve been shaped by this club’: Broxham honoured in touching post-match scenes
Melbourne Victory defender Leigh Broxham says it’s the culture instilled at the club from top to bottom that he’s appreciated the most across his record-breaking stint at the club.
It was game 350 in the Isuzu UTE A-League for Broxham on Wednesday night, as Melbourne Victory drew 1-1 with Western United at AAMI Park.
No player has had a longer stint at a single club in league history. Broxham’s milestone game takes the 34-year-old into rare air, with only Nikolai Topor-Stanley (357) and Andrew Durante (358) having played more games in Isuzu UTE A-League history.
Club chairman Anthony Di Pietro presented Broxham with framed commemorative artwork post-match in honour of the occasion.
Before the presentation, Broxham was asked what he loved most about the Victory “family”: “Just the support over the years,” he said. “It’s just everything about it, the culture that’s here right from the top all the way through. I was kit man as well, so through to the kit man.
“It’s been half my life, right? So I’ve been shaped by this club in a big way, and the person that I am is because of me being at this club.
“I love everything about the club, and hopefully there’s a few more good times to be had.”
Topor-Stanley explains bizarre celebration as rare goal rattles the net
Goals scored by Nikolai Topor-Stanley in the Isuzu UTE A-League are as rare as hens’ teeth. In 356 games, the Western United defender had scored just 11. On Wednesday night, he made it an even dozen.
It was his first league goal since February, 2020: a long-range thunderbolt struck for Newcastle Jets against Perth Glory. This one was converted from a lot closer to home, with the United defender finding space in the box to head a flick-on from the near post past Victory keeper Ivan Kelava via a corner routine.
The celebration that followed was an eyebrow raiser:
“I didn’t know what to do with my hands, really,” Topor-Stanley told Paramount+ post-match. ”So I (thought) I might as well give a bit of pace down the leg side.”
Topor-Stanley’s first goal in United colours put his side on track for yet another 1-0 win – their eighth of the season. But Victory came home with a wet sail to nick a point in the 85th minute via Brendan Hamill.
“It’s always a good feeling to help the team win games, but clearly a very good Melbourne Victory side came back into it,” Topor-Stanley said. “They threw the kitchen sink at us and we couldn’t seep them at bay.”
United are now three points behind league-leaders Melbourne City after Patrick Kisnorbo’s side beat Brisbane Roar 2-1 on Wednesday night.
Topor-Stanley is one appearance shy of equalling Andrew Durante’s record 358 Isuzu UTE A-League appearances; after Broxham’s special night at AAMI Park, Topor-Stanley is the next veteran defender in line for recognition as United press on in the Premiership race.
‘It was a statement win’: Understrength City extend the gap at the top
Melbourne City were undermanned, and trailing Brisbane Roar 1-0 on the road, under the pump.
Up stepped the son of a gun to turn the tide.
Raphael Borges Rodrigues, son of former Adelaide United fan favourite Cristiano dos Santos Rodrigues, scored for the first time in the Isuzu UTE A-League at Moreton Daily Stadium on Wednesday night.
It was just a second league start for the 18-year-old, coming in the absence of Socceroos quartet Mathew Leckie, Jamie Maclaren, Connor Metcalfe and Marco Tilio, injured captain Scott Jamieson and central defender Nuno Reis (COVID-19).
It was a test of City’s strength of depth which Patrick Kisnorbo’s side passed to extend their lead at the top of the table to three points, ahead of Western United who drew 1-1 with Melbourne Victory on Wednesday night.
“I just thought it was a statement win by Melbourne City tonight given who was out,” Paramount+ co-commentator Phil Moss said post-match. “And how many young boys had to come in to fill spaces.
“To get a result like that coming from behind – I know Brisbane Roar aren’t having a fantastic season – but it still showed the character and he depth Melbourne City have.”
MELBOURNE VICTORY 1-1 WESTERN UNITED, AS IT HAPPENED
FULL-TIME: VICTORY 1-1 UNITED
It ends all square at AAMI Park as Victory come from behind to take a point in a 1-1 draw.
85′: GOAL! Hamill flick puts Victory on level terms (1-1)
The stage was set for yet another 1-0 united win before Brendan Hamill got forward to score for Victory, arriving at the front post to sweep a low cross past the previously impenetrable Jamie Young.
There’s less than five minutes on the clock for United to respond, or for Victory to snatch all three points.
79′: Broxham on for game 350 (0-1)
A standing ovation around AAMI Park for Leigh Broxham, who becomes the first player to notch 350 Isuzu UTE A-League appearances for one club.
The Victory veteran comes on with his side chasing the game.
72′: CHANCE! Ikonomidis curler goes close (0-1)
Victory have created multiple chances to equalise – but Jamie Young has repeatedly been up to the task.
In the 72nd minute Young denied Chris Ikonomidis’ curling shot from distance; the ball appeared destined to nestle into the bottom corner before Young’s intervention.
62′: Young prevents Rojas with lunging save (0-1)
A brilliant Jamie Young save has denied Marco Rojas and Melbourne Victory an equaliser.
The Kiwi forward dribbled his way into space in the box, lashing a strike off his left foot on target. Young was back-tracking, but managed to get an outstretched glove on the ball to concede a corner instead of the levelling goal.
46′: GOAL! Topor-Stanley puts United ahead (0-1)
It had been coming in the first half. But just one minute into the second 45, Nikolai Topor-Stanley put his name on an Isuzu UTE A-League scoresheet for the first time in two years.
It was too easy for Topor-Stanley, who stood on the edge of the six-yard box to meet a flick on from the near post and head the ball home from a corner routine.
And how about the celebration from the big central defender in his 357th Isuzu UTE A-League appearance:
45+1′: Margiotta misses gilt-edged chance (0-0)
“How did Francesco Margiotta not score from there?” Asked Paramount+ commentator Robbie Thompson as the Italian hammered the crossbar with virtually the last kick of the first half.
An ambitious ball into the penalty area looked set to be cleared with ease by United but the header fell directly to Margiotta all alone in the box. He had time to get his shot on target, but with the goal at his mercy Margiotta fired off the bar.
22′: Skotadis on for Risdon (0-0)
Risdon attempted to carry on, but lasted just five more minutes before being replaced by Skotadis. The severity of the injury is unclear at this stage.
18: Risdon injury cause for concern (0-0)
Josh Risdon appeared set for an early night after falling awkwardly with his right leg trapped beneath him. He appeared hampered by a lower leg injury, and Jerry Skotadis was prepared to come on for the United captain – but Risdon is continuing for now at AAMI Park.
8′: SAVE! Lustica denied by Kelava (0-0)
The ball sat up nicely for Steven Lustica inside United’s attacking penalty area – but Victory keeper Ivan Kelava’s fingertips denied the midfielder a well-taken goal.
Two corners were to follow, with Nikolai Topor-Stanley’s header on goal from the latter cleared off the line by a desperate Victory defence.
1′: KICK-OFF (0-0)
We’re underway at AAMI Park! Melbourne Victory left-back Jason Davidson’s ambitious strike from distance with 20 seconds on the clock is the first half-chance of the evening.
TEAM NEWS
It’s game number 350 in the Isuzu UTE A-League for Melbourne Victory stalwart Leigh Broxham; he starts on the bench for Tony Popovic’s side against a Western United outfit eager to end tonight on top of the table.
United currently sit one point behind league-leaders Melbourne City, who kick off against Brisbane Roar tonight at 7.35pm (AEDT).
BRISBANE ROAR 1-2 MELBOURNE CITY, AS IT HAPPENED
FULL-TIME: ROAR 1-2 CITY
An understrength City has done enough to defeat the Roar on the road, with Borges Rodrigues scoring the all-important winner early in the second half.
A Kai Trewin own goal got City back on level terms in the first half after Henry Hore’s opening goal for the hosts.
69′: CHANCE! Dehmie hits the woodwork
Jack Hingert’s cross from the right flank met Roar substitute Cyrus Dehmie in the box, who hung in the air before unleashing a powerful header on goal.
His attempt had Glover beaten but crashed off the crossbar instead of hitting the back of the net.
49′: GOAL! City come from behind to take the lead (1-2)
Raphael Borges Rodrigues has his first Isuzu UTE A-League goal, tucking home Andrew Nabbout’s volleyed pass across the six-yard box from close range to put City in front.
HALF-TIME: BRISBANE 2-2 CITY
After a breathless start to the game the two sides settled, with scores locked at 1-1 at the break.
City keeper Tom Glover was busy throughout the first half, keeping out a handful of dangerous Roar efforts.
14′: GOAL! Trewin own goal levels the score (1-1)
Florin Berenguer has forced an own goal out of Roar defender Kai Trewin.
The Frenchman’s touch off Andrew Nabbout’s pass helped Berenguer skip past Jay O’Shea and into the box. From there he whipped his cross into the six-yard box, off Trewin’s leg and into the roof of the net.
9′: GOAL! ‘Henry Hore is the hero’ in well-worked Roar routine (1-0)
The hosts are in front of the Champions in Redcliffe, with Henry Hore putting the final touch on a neat Roar play from a corner routine.
The corner went short, before the ball was slung to Hore on the edge of the penalty area. Hore feinted to shoot, skipping past his City marker and sliding the ball from the edge of the box into the bottom-left corner of goal.
1′: KICK-OFF (0-0)
Melbourne City are hunting three points needed to guarantee top spot by the end of the evening, with second-placed Western United locked 0-0 with Melbourne Victory half an hour into their Wednesday-night clash in Victoria.
TEAM NEWS
Juan Lescano scored two goals in Brisbane’s 4-1 win over Perth Glory last time out; he misses out through illness for the Roar, whilst Rahmat Akbari is replaced by Jesse Daley with the former on national team duty with Afghanistan.
City, meanwhile are without Socceroos quarter Mathew Leckie, Jamie Maclaren, Marco Tilio and Connor Metcalfe.
Andrew Nabbout remains to help fire City to victory this evening, with Florin Berenguer holding the keys to the Roar defence with his creativity in and around the penalty area.
