Maclaren fires double as 10-man City stun United

Jamie Maclaren scored twice to give 10-man Melbourne City an incredible 2-1 win over Western United in Sunday’s Hyundai A-League clash.

Maclaren volleyed home a fine 85th minute winner on the counter for Erick Mombaerts’ side, the Australian international striker’s 14th goal in his last 10 competitive games for club and country.

City had earlier opened the scoring through the mercurial Caltex Socceroos striker midway through the opening stanza, but went down to 10 men when defender Harrison Delbridge was dismissed for halting Besart Berisha’s charge into the penalty area early in the second.

That was the City man’s second bookable offence, one which resulted in a penalty that Berisha classily rolled past Dean Bouzanis.

But despite their numerical disadvantage, City did not attempt to hold on to a point against their Melbourne rivals and were rewarded when Maclaren caught the otherwise excellent Filip Kurto off his line with a superb finish late on.

Key moments

Griffiths brings out the best in Kurto

Kurto was the busier in the opening stages as City tried to unleash the pace of Maclaren, Lachlan Wales and Craig Noone – but it was a wonderful long-range strike from defensive midfielder Rostyn Griffiths that called the Polish international into an equally brilliant fingertip save.

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Maclaren strikes

You just can’t afford to give Maclaren a sniff at the moment.

After United turned the ball over on the break, the league’s in-form marksman took Denis Genreau’s lofted ball down in the box and lashed a powerful finish past Kurto to give Erick Mombaerts’ men the advantage.

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Delbridge sees red and Berisha pounces

United were an improved force after the interval and the game’s complexion changed completely in favour of the home side when Delbridge was dismissed for a handball while attempting a sliding challenge on a goal-bound Berisha – his second bookable defence.

The Hyundai A-League’s all-time leading goalscorer made no mistake from the spot.

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