Youngster Nishan Velupillay has sunk Central Coast at the death to deliver Melbourne Victory a desperately needed 1-0 win and arrest their poor run of form since their FFA Cup triumph.
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Velupillay’s header in the 94th minute, just 13 minutes after entering the fray, proved enough to turn a dour stalemate into a crucial three points.
Tony Popovic’s side were coming off three consecutive losses and hadn’t won in the Isuzu UTE A-League since Boxing Day amid poor results and postponements, with Saturday night’s result lifting them back into the top six.
But their win was soured by a first-half quad injury to defender Matthew Spiranovic.
The Mariners are now winless in five ALM games, with their last league victory on December 18, after once again dropping points by a goal conceded in the 90th minute or later.
Popovic stuck with under-fire goalkeeper Ivan Kelava, who saw Central Coast’s Marco Urena put the ball in the back of the net in the 14th minute, but he was offside.
Jake Brimmer turned Marco Rojas’ flick-on home in the 26th minute but had strayed into an offside position and after a prolonged VAR referral, the offside ruling was upheld.
Rojas had a 55th-minute penalty shout waved away while Central Coast had back-to-back chances from Josh Nisbet and Jason Cummings in the 60th minute deflected and blocked away.
Victory seized control when Velupillay came on in the 81st minute.
Five minutes later, Velupillay, slipped through Francesco Margiotta, only for the Italian to fire wide.
Less than two minutes later, Robbie Kruse burst forward and found Chris Ikonomidis, who rolled the ball across the face but no-one was on hand to tap home at the back post.
Victory found their equaliser when Ikonomidis stood up his defender, then lofted a ball to the back post where Velupillay rose highest to head home the winner.
LIVE FEED
By Matthew Comito for KEEPUP
FULL-TIME: VICTORY 1-0 MARINERS
A headed goal from Nishan Velupillay has stolen all three points for Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park. Victory looked set to go six games without a win in the Isuzu UTE A-League before the substitute’s crucial intervention in stoppage time.
KEY MOMENTS
- (9.40PM AEDT) GOAL! VELUPILLAY AT THE DEATH FOR VICTORY
Scenes at AAMI PARK! Nishan Velupillay has emerged off the bench to put Victory 1-0 ahead in second-half stoppage time.
The boyhood Victory fan headed home Ikonomidis’ weighted cross from the left side of the box as the home side snatch all three points at the death.
- (9.30PM AEDT) Margiotta spurns golden chance to give hosts the lead
A sharp Victory counter attack sparked by Nishan Velupillay ended at the feet of striker Francesco Margiotta on the right-hand side of the 18-yard-box – but the Italian’s strike went wide of the mark as the home side’s best chance of the second half went begging.
Moments later it was Chris Ikonomidis threatening for the Victory, but his ball from one side of the six-yard box dribbled across goal with no Victory forwards on hand at the back post to tuck the ball home.
- (8.36PM AEDT) HALF-TIME: VICTORY 0-0 MARINERS
- (8.15PM AEDT) OFFSIDE FLAG DENIES BOTH SIDES
An offside call at either end of the ground has kept this fixture goalless after half an hour of play.
Marco Ureña put the ball in the back of the net for the Mariners early doors, but the offside flag was quickly raised.
It took far longer, however, for Jake Brimmer’s close-range finish for Victory to be adjudged offside, with a VAR enquiry bringing a halt to proceedings for a number of minutes for the officials to ultimately come to the correct conclusion.
- (7.45PM AEDT) KICK-OFF
Play gets underway at AAMI Park with the Mariners looking to get FFA Cup final revenge over the Victory.
