Melbourne City coach John van’t Schip described Thursday’s 4-2 win over Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium as an important mental victory following the previous week’s second-half capitulation against the Newcastle Jets.
Van ‘t Schip admits there were nerves at the half-time break at Hindmarsh, during which City sat on a 2-0 lead for the second week in succession.
Only this time, unlike the debacle against the Jets when three second-half goals were conceded, the lead wouldn’t be wasted.
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Melbourne’s ability to make the necessary changes and learn the right lessons, in the space of just six days, pleased van ‘t Schip.
“We had a tough week,” he said.
“It’s not nice (losing after) going ahead 2-0 at home, playing good football.
“We had some talks, we changed some things and we learnt some things.
“Again, in an away game, we took a 2-0 lead to the dressing room.
“We came away with the win. It was very important for everyone at the club.
“After last week, the way we lost, this was important for the group mentally to get over that.
“This was a massive game for us.”
Superstar Aaron Mooy laid the foundations for City’s first triumph on South Australian soil in five years with a typically brilliant first half, setting up Erik Paartalu for Melbourne’s first goal with a beautiful, searing corner, then blasting a 35th-minute missile from the edge of the box to double the visitors’ lead.
The second half was the Harry Novillo-Bruno Fornaroli show, the pair combining for back-to-back goals to deny the Reds, who at least made a contest of it in the last half-hour with two goals.
The exciting Novillo provided energy as soon as he entered the match in the 55th minute, while Fornaroli, an exciting Uruguayan No.9 is now the A-League’s leading goalscorer this season.
“We know Harry is an important player,” van ‘t Schip said.
“When fit, he can do something special.
“He has a good shot, is dangerous, strong and gave two great assists.
“Bruno is important for us. He’s fighting, holding up, chasing, pressing and also scoring goals.”
