‘Mesut’ Grozos?! Jets’ match-winning hero compared to former Arsenal & Real Madrid star

Is Kosta Grozos Mesut Ozil in disguise? After leading Newcastle Jets past Melbourne Victory in the Isuzu UTE A-League, he was likened to a FIFA Men’s World Cup winner.

Grozos was a late inclusion for the Jets on Sunday, drafted into Newcastle’s starting XI after Reno Piscopo was injured in the warm-up and the unheralded midfielder was the hero at McDonald Jones Stadium.

After Nishan Velupillay cancelled out Beka Mikeltadze’s first-half penalty, Grozos capped a fine set-piece move to restore the Jets’ lead approaching the hour-mark.

It was Grozos’ first Isuzu UTE A-League goal and the 22-year-old was compared to a former Arsenal, Real Madrid and Germany star post-match.

“He was fantastic,” Jets full-back and ex-Arsenal defender Carl Jenkinson told Paramount+.

I call Kosta Mesut sometimes. I say he plays like Mesut Ozil.

“His weight of passing is fantastic. He was great again today. He scored a great goal.

“We’re disappointed to lose Reno because he’s been fantastic for us recently.

“But we have players like Kosta who can come in and make a difference and win a game for us. Fair play to Kosta. He is a lovely kid and I’m buzzing for him.”

Newcastle have now gone five matches without defeat to be right in the hunt for finals football this season.

The Jets – who have not featured in the finals for the past four seasons – are only adrift of the top six on goal difference following their Round 16 triumph.

“That has been the goal all along. Everyone wants to be in finals,” Jenkinson said.

We won’t accept anything less. Most teams will say that in the league but we really believe we can be right up there.

“If we keep playing like we are, we will definitely be right up there.”

Report – AAP

Kosta Grozos’s first A-League Men goal helped extend Newcastle Jets’ unbeaten run to five matches with a 2-1 home win over Melbourne Victory.

Grozos was named among the Jets’ substitutes at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday but was promoted to the starting line-up when Reno Piscopo suffered a groin injury during the warm-up.

The 22-year-old grabbed his chance and netted what proved to be the winner from a well-executed set play in the 58th minute.

Beka Mikeltadze stood over the free-kick and slid a short pass to Grozos, who turned and made the visitors’ flat-footed defence pay with a neat finish.

It restored Newcastle’s lead just seven minutes after Victory winger Nishan Velupillay had cancelled out Mikeltadze’s first-half opener.

The result left Victory still sitting last on the ladder, while Newcastle are knocking on the door of the top six.

Victory were left to rue sloppy defending that led to both Jets goals, with the opener coming when Roderick Miranda brought down Jaushua Sotirio with a clumsy tackle in the box.

Mikeltadze converted his penalty in the 37th minute, keeping his cool after strong wind kept blowing the ball off the spot and delaying proceedings.

Victory equalised after the break when Velupillay cut in from the right and squeezed a low left-foot shot past Newcastle goalkeeper Jack Duncan.

But Tony Popovic’s side were undone by their own poor marking at a set-piece, allowing Grozos too much space.

Victory striker Bruno Fornaroli thought he’d levelled the score again but had his close-range finish ruled out for offside.

Fornaroli also missed a gilt-edged chance in the first half, failing to get a boot on a tap-in chance after Jake Brimmer rolled a neat pass across the front of goal.

Jets defender Matt Jurman breathed a sigh of relief after his turnover on the edge of his own box led to the chance.

Victory handed club debuts to three of their four transfer window acquisitions, with Connor Chapman, Damien Da Silva and second-half substitute Bruce Kamau all featuring.