Melbourne City edged a nerve-jangling first instalment of the Melbourne Derby as the E-League ladder began to take shape in Round 3.
Both legs of each fixture were played simultaneously to account for a delayed start time, adding a new layer of intrigue to proceedings.
But there was no trepidation for Sydney FC’s in-form pair, mimicking their Hyundai A-League counterparts by surging to the top of the ladder.
Brisbane Roar 2-4 Adelaide United
- Adelaide United moved level on six points with Brisbane Roar after securing a vital pair of 2-1 victories.
Xbox: James ‘iCripsy’ Williams 1-2 Jamie ‘FUTWIZ Jamie’ O’Doherty
Jamie O’Doherty recovered from an early deficit to inflict a 2-1 defeat on James Williams, his first in the competition.
After trading jabs in the lead-up, it was Williams who landed an early blow with a third-minute opener for Roar.
O’Doherty quickly hit back to equalise on 20 minutes and was suddenly ahead on the half-hour.
That lead proved enough as the Adelaide man had his crossbar to thank for keeping out what would have been a late equaliser, securing him a second successive victory.
? @Jamie_ODoherty #AUFC #ELeague pic.twitter.com/jhkcuIwJp5
— Adelaide United FC (@AdelaideUnited) March 1, 2018
PS4: Dino ‘ol_Mate_’ Flocco 1-2 Zachary ‘vDreamz-Shooter’ May-Burgess
Zachary May-Burgess made it back-to-back E-League wins with a well-earned 2-1 victory over Roar representative Dino Flocco.
Fresh off a maiden success last week, May-Burgess grabbed the first inside 20 minutes and added a second from the penalty spot just before the break.
Flocco did pull one back in stoppage time, but it was to be nothing more than a consolation.
This is how @ZacMayburgess held up his end of the bargain on PS4 tonight! #ELeague pic.twitter.com/Jc56mxGtAw
— Adelaide United FC (@AdelaideUnited) March 1, 2018
Western Sydney Wanderers 4-3 Wellington Phoenix
- Though results on the night were locked at one apiece, Western Sydney Wanderers narrowly overcame Wellington Phoenix on aggregate for their second team win of the season.
Xbox: Joseph ‘OhNoAGoat’ Nassar 4-2 Justin ‘Justmanutd12’ Josevski
Joseph Nassar held off a dogged Justin Josevski to lead Wanderers to a decisive 4-2 victory over Wellington.
An action-packed first half saw Josevski erase an early two-goal deficit in supreme style.
He cut the deficit on the half-hour and, full of confidence, equalised in breathtaking fashion, befuddling two defenders before picking out the bottom corner.
Nassar regrouped to restore his advantage after the restart and a fourth late on sealed a hard-earned victory, and would prove vital in the wider context of the two legs.
GOAL. OF. THE. DAY. ??? pic.twitter.com/ag68soAfL1
— E-League (@ELeagueAus) March 1, 2018
PS4: Rick ‘RDOUBLETTT’ Tran 0-1 Christian ‘Fweshest’ Bartolilo
Christian Bartolilo edged out Rick Tran 1-0 but was left to rue a missed penalty that would have earned Phoenix an overall draw.
Beaten in the first two rounds, Bartolilo netted the only goal inside 20 minutes to secure a confidence-boosting result.
However, a penalty save late in the first half from Tran ultimately helped Wanderers secure the three points.
OH NO ??? This missed penalty cost @WgtnPhoenixFC a point against @wswanderersfc pic.twitter.com/3IBBI3PHNR
— E-League (@ELeagueAus) March 1, 2018
Melbourne City 5-4 Melbourne Victory
- Marcus Gomes again stood tall as Melbourne City defied two fighting performances from rivals Melbourne Victory to secure inaugural derby honours.
Xbox: Marcus ‘SoccerStar07777’ Gomes 2-1 Mouad ‘MuadZwed’ Zwed
Marcus Gomes survived a scare against Mouad Zwed to prevail 2-1 on Xbox.
Zwed, stepping in on his unpreferred console in place of unavailable team-mate Mitch Austin, pushed Gomes all the way and looked to have snatched a shock draw with an unerring 80th-minute equaliser.
But the City star, who had earlier opened the scoring in the fifth minute, proved his fortitude by recapturing a match-winning lead through Bruno Fornaroli just six minutes shy of full-time.
You see this @mitchaustin10 ? @MouadZwed doesn't usually play on @XboxAustralia but he managed to do THIS to @MarcusGomesFIFA pic.twitter.com/XfiWQ7appv
— E-League (@ELeagueAus) March 1, 2018
PS4: Josh ‘joshingwood’ Wood 3-3 Mouad ‘MuadZwed’ Zwed
Josh Wood and Mouad Zwed fought out a thrilling 3-3 draw in a fittingly end-to-end Melbourne Derby.
The pair traded goals in a lively start, Wood immediately cancelling out Zwed’s opener.
The exchange was reversed late in the first half before Zwed tipped the balance back in his favour with a third for Victory after the interval.
But there was still time for one final equaliser in a see-sawing contest, Wood grabbing the all-important goal that sealed City’s aggregate triumph.
.@EASPORTSFIFA version of @mitchaustin10 misses a SITTER! @MouadZwed ? pic.twitter.com/1DXypey85h
— E-League (@ELeagueAus) March 1, 2018
Newcastle Jets 3-9 Sydney FC
- Sydney FC lead the E-League on goal difference following two back-to-back wins over an outclassed Newcastle Jets.
Xbox: Dane ‘bossierhickory8’ Crow 2-4 Samer ‘Samer96_’ Elbadar
Samer Elbadar continued his impressive season with an accomplished 4-2 win over Dane Crow of Newcastle.
Two from Elbadar sandwiched Crow’s lone first-half strike before the Sky Blues competitor broke it open after the break, notching another two fine efforts in the space of seven second-half minutes.
Crow closed the margin with a lightning move from the back but was unable to build on that glimmer of hope in the closing stages.
FULL TIME: @SydneyFC's @Samer96_ secures an impressive 4-2 win against @NewcastleJetsFC's @Bossierhickory8 in our @XboxAustralia match up. #ELeague #NEWvSYD pic.twitter.com/JppwSQwIum
— E-League (@ELeagueAus) March 1, 2018
PS4: Bohdan ‘BLfifa’ Ling 1-5 Mark ‘xMarkoHD’ Brijeski
Mark Brijeski made the most of a numerical advantage to sweep aside Bohdan Ling in a comprehensive 5-1 victory.
Jets received their second red card of the tournament for coughing up a penalty midway through the opening stanza, although Ling did go some way to retrieving the situation by saving the resultant spot-kick.
The odds remained heavily stacked in Brijeski’s favour and he made the extra man count with two quickfire goals in the shadows of half-time.
From there the floodgates opened, Milos Ninkovic among the scorers as arguably the E-League’s standout performer so far made it three on the trot.
56' GOALLLLLLLLLLLL!!!! NINKO!!!! Our Serbian star gets his name on the scoresheet as he fires in across goal into the far bottom corner from the left! 0-4 #SydneyIsSkyBlue #ELeague #NEWvSYD
— Sydney FC (@SydneyFC) March 1, 2018
Perth Glory 3-4 Central Coast Mariners
- Central Coast Mariners had ‘King Kyren’ to thank for leading them to victory over Perth Glory after the PS4 star did the business for the third week running.
Xbox: David ‘HighFly357’ Cook 1-1 Matt ‘StrawHat Camels’ Camilleri
Matt Camilleri converted a second-half penalty to deny Glory’s David Cook in a 1-1 draw in the Xbox encounter.
Cook looked on track for a morale-boosting first victory of his E-League campaign when he made space for Thierry Henry to laser a finish into the bottom corner.
But the lead wouldn’t last, Camilleri keeping his cool with 20 minutes to play and earning the Mariners a draw.
FULL TIME: The deadlock could not be broken in the end! @PerthGloryFC v @CCMariners @XboxAustralia match up ends in 1-1! #ELeague #PERvCCM pic.twitter.com/SAKDIn7FnH
— E-League (@ELeagueAus) March 1, 2018
PS4: Peter ‘saisanas’ Saisanas 2-3 Kiran ‘KyrenFIFA’ Gupta
Central Coast’s Kiran Gupta looms as a major E-League threat after prevailing 3-2 against Peter Saisanas of Perth.
Gupta got the early jump on his Glory opponent, opening up a 2-0 lead by the 26th minute.
Saisanas cut the deficit on the edge of half-time and hit a delightful second in the closing moments of the match, but Gupta’s well-worked third between those efforts ensured Perth’s fightback fell short.
FULL TIME / Aggregate: 3-4 Mariners win@saisanasp – Glory 2-3 @CCMariners @HighFly357 – Glory 1-1 @CCMariners
Two great goals from Thierry Henry weren’t enough for us to pick up the win. @ELeagueAus pic.twitter.com/X3b8LOrrvH
— Perth Glory FC (@PerthGloryFC) March 1, 2018