Melbourne Victory’s concession of a late leveller during Saturday’s enthralling derby cost them top spot on the Hyundai A-League ladder and highlighted a potentially worrying trend.
Dario Vidosic rose above a sea of bodies to nod in Scott Jamieson’s cross in the 92nd minute and earn Melbourne City a valuable 1-1 draw at AAMI Park.
The underdogs had largely appeared directionless for the preceding 30 minutes, probing without potency in an attempt to respond to Ola Toivonen’s opener.
REPORT: City deny Victory at the death in dramatic Melbourne Derby
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That sense of Victory comfort made the equaliser all the more surprising and gives Kevin Muscat a clear deficiency to address at the end of a six-match winning streak.
Vidosic’s goal was, alarmingly, the fourth the Champions have conceded beyond the 90th minute in 2018 alone.
That’s more than the three stoppage-time goals they gave up in the two previous years combined.
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The late lapse denied them two points on this occasion and enabled Perth Glory to continue sitting atop the Hyundai A-League.
Tony Popovic’s team would not be celebrating Christmas supremacy without the 93rd-minute winner Chris Ikonomidis scored in the 3-2 triumph over Victory back in October.
Muscat insisted in his post-match press conference that the Melbourne Derby didn’t feel like a defeat, but encouraged his team to “take some learnings” from the setback.
The destination of the Premiers Plate could hinge on their success in heeding what is becoming a frequent lesson.
