New City coach Warren Joyce has won his first Melbourne Derby after a pulsating and typically feisty 2-1 win over Victory on Saturday night in front of over 35,000 fans at Etihad Stadium.
Melbourne City now have two wins from two this season while Melbourne Victory are now on two losses for the new season as City claim bragging rights in the southern capital.
THE STORY OF THE GAME
- The tone was set in the first minute with some crunching tackles. Two yellow cards were handed out in the opening 11 minutes as the game turned inevitably into a physical, full-blooded contest.
- Osama Malik was injured by Victory’s Rhys Williams who was lucky to stay on the park after a tough tackle. Malik soldiered on but was subbed off just before the break.
- Malik’s replacement Marcin Budzinski was the hero within minutes, scoring the opener about 30 seconds before the break.
- Victory powered back after half time with an equaliser coming soon after the break.
- But City hit back in stunning fashion with a superb counter-attack finished by Kamau to retake the lead 2-1.
- In the final 20 minutes,City were forced back with Victory piling on an onslaught as City sat very deep. But they held on for a famous win.
- Lawrence Thomas with an unbelievable save in the final minute kept Victory in it, but the Big V couldn’t find an equaliser.
GOALS
Budzinski, City 45+3, 0-1
Fitzgerald goes one way and then the other inside the box, then lays it off to Budzinski, who put in a thunderous drive into the top of the net and scoring the first goal of the night on the stroke of half time.
George, Victory, 55′, 1-1
Barbarouses crosses it into the box for George, who controls it, then hits it through the legs of Galekovic and in for an equaliser.
Kamau, City 64′, 1-2
Kamau put on the afterburners into the box, he lobbed it for goal as it takes a deflection, dipping in at the perfect time, going into the back of the net.
