Melbourne Victory has come from behind to defeat Sydney FC 3-2 at Lakeside Stadium on Sunday afternoon in Round 6 of the Foxtel National Youth League.
In even more positive news for Victory fans, defender Nick Ansell made another start for the side in his return from foot injury, playing out 90 minutes in the win.
It was Sydney FC who got off to a flying start, with Jacob Tratt opening the scoring after just three minutes, heading home a cross from Anthony Tomelic.
But the lead didn’t last long, with the referee awarding Victory the penalty only four minutes later. Nabbout cooly converted the penalty, restoring parity after eight minutes.
Despite the early flurry of goals, neither side could trouble the scorers again in the first half as the teams went into the half-time break all square at 1-1.
The second half began in similar fashion, with both sides creating chances. It was the visitors who again got their noses in front, with Tomelic again in the thick of it, forcing a save that ‘keeper Lawrence Thomas could parry in to the path of a grateful Christopher Gligor who put the Sky Blues in front on the hour mark.
Nabbout, who has enjoyed plenty of success against Sydney FC at Hyundai A-League level in the past, again made sure the visitors didn’t hold their lead for long, smashing home his second of the day after 74 minutes.
Encouraged by their equaliser, it only took three minutes for Darren Davies’ Victory side to find the winner, with second half substitute George Howard forcing an error at the back to give his side a 3-2 lead and the victory after a solid performance at home.
Victory’s Foxtel National Youth League side will now have an extended run away from home, with Davies’ side next home game to be played at AAMI Park on December 27, a curtain raiser to the A-League side’s clash with Newcastle Jets.
