Western United stage stunning three-goal comeback to defeat Victory

Western United scored three unanswered goals to complete an astonishing 3-2 comeback victory over Melbourne Victory at Marvel Stadium on Saturday evening.

The league new boys found themselves 2-0 down and on the brink inside the opening six minutes as Ola Toivonen and Kristijan Dobras pounced for Victory.

But just when it looked like Western might be dealt their first-ever league hammering, Italian star Alessandro Diamanti fired Mark Rudan’s side back into the game with a scorching left-footer from outside the area.

From there, Western regained their composure and drew level when James Donachie turned Josh Risdon’s nod down past ‘keeper Lawrence Thomas with Besart Berisha waiting to pounce.

It got even better for the two bays of fans who came to watch the Hyundai A-League’s newest club take on the four-time Champions, when ex-Caltex Socceroo Scott McDonald completed the turnaround on 51 minutes with his first goal in Australian national league football for two decades.

Victory dominated proceedings following McDonald’s strike – Thomas Deng and Kenny Athiu should’ve buried their respective chances to head in equalisers – but their new neighbours from Melbourne’s western suburbs held on for a famous victory.

Key moments

Toivonen opens the scoring

The sweetest of strikes from the big Swede.

Victory opened the scoring in delightful fashion when Ola Toivonen strode forward and caressed a lovely curling strike beyond the stretch of Western goalkeeper Filip Kurto and into the bottom corner.

https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6099950996001

Dobras doubles the advantage

Victory fans were still celebrating Toivonen’s opener when Kristijan Dobras doubled the lead just over 60 seconds later.

Toivonen was released down the left after a poor giveaway from Western defender Connor Chapman and it was another deft touch of the Victory skipper’s right foot – this time a deft flick into the path of the onrushing Dobras – that saw the Austrian international scrap home his first goal in the Hyundai A-League.

https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6099945779001

Diamanti halves the lead

There were visibly glum faces on the Western United bench by the 15 minute mark but they were considerably less so when Alessandro Diamanti scored his first goal in Australia.

Victory defender James Donachie’s clearance was poor, and arrived straight to the feet of the former Italian international. The 36-year-old made no mistake.

https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6099949916001

Western restore parity

Incredibly, Mark Rudan’s men clawed their way back to 2-2 before the 30-minute mark.

Scott McDonald’s ball to the back post was headed back across goal by Josh Risdon, where Besart Berisha lunged in between defenders, with the ball ultimately knocked in by the legs of Donachie.

https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6099952873001