A deflated Kevin Muscat is still “coming to grips” with Melbourne Victory’s failure to walk away with the full three points against Perth Glory on Sunday.
Victory looked headed for the win at nib Stadium when Kosta Barbarouses put the visitors ahead 3-1 in the 57th minute after Fahid Ben Khalfallah and Besart Berisha had scored in the first half.
But Glory pair Rostyn Griffiths and Jamie Maclaren found the back of the net in the closing stages to salvage a point for the home side and deny Victory a chance to close the gap on the Hyundai A-League leaders to a single point.
The fiery Muscat was disappointed his side did not take advantage of their two-goal lead and was livid with his players for the way in which Griffiths and Maclaren were both able to score when the momentum was firmly in Victory’s possession.
“I thought we played some very good stuff tonight and we created a number of chances, but at 3-1 it should be finished,” Muscat said.
“We should have even made it 4-1, if not 5-1, and then we go and put ourselves under pressure by conceding from a set piece.
“To score three goals away from home, you really should be winning that game of football and I thought we were by far the better team tonight.
“How we didn’t go on to win the game, I can’t come to grips with at the moment.”
Muscat said his coaching staff would review the defensive lapses and see whether they were linked to his team’s attacking plans.
Third-placed Victory has scored more goals (31) than any other team this season and conceded the fourth least (18) at the other end of the pitch.
“When we do concede goals, it just seems like it’s very easy for the opposition to score,” Muscat said.
“It’s something we’ll look at, but we’ll also look at how we attack.”
Archie Thompson and Scot Galloway did not take to the pitch against Glory due to illness, but both are expected to be available for Victory’s next match against rivals Melbourne City on February 7.
Berisha is also likely to be fit for the Melbourne derby despite struggling with ongoing soreness.
Muscat said defender Mathieu Delpierre was still recovering from the foot injury he suffered in the FFA Cup quarter-final against Glory in October and was unlikely to be resume against City.
