Melbourne Victory were too strong for two-time reigning Isuzu UTE A-League champions Central Coast Mariners, winning 3-0 on Saturday night.
First-half goals from Subway Socceroos pair Nishan Velupillay and Bruno Fornaroli and a thunderous long-range strike via Zinedine Machach inspired Victory in the Grand Final rematch at AAMI Park following back-to-back draws.
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKETS TO THE ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE
After Velupillay and Fornaroli put Victory in a commanding position, Machach came off the bench and iced the scoring with a stunning stoppage-time goal in Melbourne.
The result saw Victory stay within two points of second-placed Western United and within seven of leaders Auckland FC after 22 rounds, while the Mariners are 10th and 10 points outside of the top six amid a seven-match winless run.
There was a notable onlooker in the stands at AAMI Park, where Socceroo and A-Leagues graduate Jordy Bos – now playing for Westerlo in Belgium’s top flight – was watching brother and Victory full-back Kasey.
HERE COME THE FUTURE: Teens open A-Leagues accounts with golazos in Adelaide-Brisbane draw
WESTERN ROUT: Green and Black soar to unprecedented feat
On the field, the home side hit the front inside nine minutes after Velupillay pounced on an error from 17-year-old Mariners sensation Haine Eames to give Victory the lead.
It was the Socceroo’s fourth goal of the season.
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKETS TO THE ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE
Fornaroli nearly doubled the advantage with an acrobatic effort just past the half-hour mark but the Victory talisman got his goal four minutes before half-time.
The Socceroo broke the offside trap, brought the ball down beautifully and turned Central Coast’s defence inside and out as he finished beyond Dylan Peraic-Cullen for his fourth goal of the campaign but first since January 24.
YOUNG SOCCEROOS: Australia’s next football boom has arrived thanks to 12,000-minute explosion
Alex Badolato came off the bench to make his Victory debut in the second half after being named MVP of the 2025 AFC Under-20 Asian Cup, where the Subway Young Socceroos reigned supreme last week.
On loan from Western Sydney Wanderers, the young gun almost had an assist on debut after playing through fellow substitute Santos but the Brazilian was denied by Peraic-Cullen.
Machach completed the scoring in the third minute of stoppage time after unleashing from distance.
