Mauk, Yengi star as Reds seal comeback win over Victory in tense Original Rivalry clash

Melbourne Victory let a first-half lead slip to lose 3-1 to Adelaide United in a fiery instalment of the Original Rivalry at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.

The hosts took a 1-0 lead thanks to Jake Brimmer’s fourth goal of the season, netted from a free kick which rattled the crossbar and dropped over the line, catching Joe Gauci off guard on debut for the Reds in goal.

Victory were chasing a third win of the season but squandered their advantage before the half, as Stefan Mauk ghosted into the box to lash a left-footed strike off Leigh Broxham’s failed clearance into the back of the net.

Kusini Yengi came off the bench for Adelaide in the second half and played a key role in Adelaide’s turnaround. The 22-year-old netted from close range just after the hour mark, before setting Mauk up for the third on 77 minutes. The Reds celebrated both of their second-half goals in front of the home fans, taunting the Victory faithful and raising the tension at Marvel Stadium.

Mauk’s second goal proved the finishing blow in the comeback win, as the Reds sealed a fourth win on the bounce to move above Melbourne City into second on the A-League table.

Victory meanwhile, remain at the bottom of the pile with just seven points on the board through 11 games in the 2020/21 campaign.

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Key Moments

Victory looked lively early doors, as Robbie Kruse made a series of driving runs through midfield to attack the Reds defenders with a head of steam, lashing a pair of shots from promising positions wide of the mark.

Brimmer struck from outside the box to test Gauci on debut in goal for Adelaide, but the shot-stopper comfortably gobbled up the dipping strike toward the centre of goal.

The hosts continued to threaten as Callum McManaman sent a dangerous cross to the back post which Ryan Strain almost deflected into his own net, before Ben Folami played Kruse behind the defence with an incisive through ball only for the Victory forward to strike directly into the outrushing Gauci, as the Reds averted the danger.

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But all of Adelaide’s solid defensive work was undone when Gauci was caught off guard by Brimmer with a quick-thinking free kick attempt from distance.

The Adelaide ‘keeper offered Brimmer way too much space to his left and the Victory midfielder took full advantage, sending Gauci desperately across to save as the ball dipped off the crossbar and over the goal line.

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Victory set about scoring a second soon after, and when Kruse found Gestede in the box the Benin international found himself with an enormous chance to consolidate his side’s lead. But, his poked attempt on goal lifted above Gauci, and the crossbar.

Adelaide sent six shots toward goal throughout the first half, but after surviving Victory’s many attacking forays the visitors snatched an equaliser through their captain Mauk. Javi López sparked the chance with a ball into the box from the left flank which Broxham failed to clear, leaving Mauk to shoot first time off the rebound into the bottom right corner and bring it back to 1-1 at the half-time break.

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The Reds came out firing in the second half, going close to completing the comeback twice through a pair of young talents.

Joshua Cavallo fired a vicious volley on goal which Matt Acton saved, then Yengi emerged off the bench to rinse Aaron Anderson and Leigh Broxham with an effective dribble toward goal, sliding his shot under Acton but hitting the right-hand post. Craig Goodwin won a free-kick in the aftermath but struck a curling attempt just high as the visitors signalled their intent to take a stranglehold of the contest.

And just after the hour mark, the Reds found their second through the increasingly dangerous Yengi. The 22-year-old latched onto Goodwin’s low cross to convert with ease from inside the six-yard box. Yengi rushed to celebrate in front of the Victory faithful, copping a vitriolic response from the home fans as he put the Reds ahead.

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After emerging from the bench to put his side ahead, Yengi came to the fore once more as the Reds put the result to bed.

The imposing forward displayed individual brilliance to dispossess Zaydan Bello, drive at Brozham and delay long enough for Mauk to arrive in the box. Yengi slid the ball across goal to Mauk who swept home with ease to fire Adelaide two goals ahead.

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