Cracking second-half goals from Shayon Harrison, Ritchie De Laet and Riley McGree has fired Melbourne City to a vital 4-1 win over Brisbane Roar at AAMI Park on Friday night.
Scores were locked at 1-1 just before the hour mark after an embarrassing own goal from City’s Harrison Delbridge cancelled out Rostyn Griffiths’ opener.
But that’s when Harrison, De Laet and substitute McGree showed their importance to City with three superbly taken goals.
De Laet’s goal was a contender for goal of the season, hitting an unstoppable rocket into the top corner from distance, while McGree showed his class with a delicate chip in stoppage-time.
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It was a vital win for Warren Joyce’s side who have moved above Adelaide United into fifth spot an in striking distance of the top four.
Playing his former club for the first time since his return to the Hyundai A-League, Jamie Maclaren almost gave City the lead when he pounced on a loose ball in the box but shot straight at Jamie Young.
Both Griffiths and Florin Berenguer tested Young in quick succession before the pair combined for City’s opener on 27 minutes.
The home side played a free-kick short with Berenguer flighting in a delightful cross with Griffiths glancing a brilliant header past the Roar gloveman.
It was only an incredible diving save from Young which denied Harrison before the break and it proved crucial as Roar were level nine minutes into the second half.
And it came from an unlikely source with City defender Delbridge trying to clear a long ball by Eric Bautheac but only succeeding in heading it over Eugene Galekovic and into his own net.
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To Delbridge’s relief City were back in front five minutes later as Harrison produced a brilliant touch and finish before De Laet lit up AAMI Park with the goal of the night.
Given too much time and space to turn in the middle of the park, De Laet drove forward and unleashed a rocket from 30 yards out which went like a tracer bullet into the top corner.
McGree then put the icing on the cake for the home side with another stunner in stoppage-time as City set their sights on fourth spot heading into the final three rounds of the regular season.
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See all the goals and relive all the major talking points from Melbourne in our LIVE BLOG below.
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