Melbourne Victory have kept pace in the race for the A-League Men premiership after defeating Macarthur 4-1 at Campbelltown Stadium.
After Craig Noone’s 56th-minute penalty halved a deficit delivered by Ben Folami and Jake Brimmer, the hosts threw everything into a frantic search for a leveller.
A cheeky backheel effort from Roderick Miranda in the 81st minute and Josh Brillante’s 94th-minute strike, however, dashed those hopes.
REACTION: Brimmer warns top two: ‘We’re the benchmark’
The result ensures Victory remain in striking distance of Victorian rivals Melbourne City and Western United atop the table.
But the Bulls’ finals chances have been dealt a heavy blow.
Though clear of seventh-placed Sydney FC by a point, the loss ensured Ante Milicic’s outfit remain just two points clear of the eighth-placed Central Coast.
And in contrast to Sydney FC, who like Macarthur have played 24 matches, the Mariners possess two games in hand.
Victory, conversely, have stretched their club-record undefeated run to 12 and moved three points back of United, both on 23 games played, and five back of top-of-the-table City with a game in hand.
A corner in the 21st minute delivered their lead when Folami seized on Matthew Spiranovic’s blocked header and fired into the bottom corner.
Their second came via another set-piece when Brimmer converted from the spot in the 53rd after the Bulls’ Jordon Mutch brought down Jason Geria trying to clear a corner.
Minutes later the deficit was reduced to one when Noone converted from the spot after Rai Marchan handled the ball in the area.
But with VAR ruling out what the Bulls thought was Aleksandar Jovanovic’s equaliser eight minutes later, emotions began to bubble over for the hosts.
And when Miranda audaciously flicked on a Brimmer corner and Brillante had a deflected effort ricochet in, their fate was sealed.
RE-LIVE: MACARTHUR FC 1-4 MELBOURNE VICTORY, AS IT HAPPENED
By Matt Comito for KEEPUP
90+5′: GOAL! Brillante gets in on the act (1-4)
Victory deal the Bulls one final blow, with Brillante cruising into the box to put a fourth in the back of the net via an enormous deflection off the arm of Jovanovic.
83′: GOAL! Miranda with a sublime finish (1-3)
You don’t see that every day from a central defender.
Roderick Miranda, venturing forward for a Victory corner, met the ball on the bounce at the near post, flicking the ball on toward the back post where the ball nestled into the bottom-left corner of goal.
64′: NO GOAL! Jovanovic strike chalked offside (1-2)
Aleksandar Jovanovic thought he had an equaliser for the Bulls, arriving at the back post to tuck the ball into the back of the net from a corner routine, only for the VAR to intervene and find the Macarthur defender offside as Uskok made contact with his header across goal.
56′: PENALTY! Noone pegs one back from the spot (1-2)
And just like that, the Bulls are back in it!
A cross from Craig Noone into the box struck the arm of Rai Marchan, and Elder pointed to the spot for the second time in three minutes. Noone gathered the ball to take the penalty, and much like Brimmer managed to send the keeper the wrong way to convert with ease.
Marchan handball 53′: PENALTY! Mutch fouls Geria and Brimmer scores (0-2)
Jake Brimmer has doubled Victory’s advantage with a spot kick early in the second half.
Referee Daniel Elder awarded the penalty as Jordon Mutch cleaned out Jason Geria from behind, with the latter getting ahead of the former in the box before Mutch could clear a loose ball.
Brimmer sent Kurto the wrong way, burying the ball into the bottom-left corner to double Victory’s lead.
46′ SECOND HALF (0-1)
Play resumes in Campbelltown with the hosts chasing the game, and Victory looking to extend their unbeaten run to 12 games.
HALF-TIME: BULLS 0-1 VICTORY
Folami’s 28th-minute strike is all that separates the two teams at the break.
Bulls keeper Kurto was busy throughout the first 45 to keep his team within sight.
28′: GOAL! Folami buries the opener (0-1)
Matthew Spiranovic was allowed to arrive in the box unmarked to head a Victory corner toward goal; his initial attempt was blocked, but Folami swooped in to collect the rebound and bury a low shot into the bottom-left corner.
20′: Victory team move ends with a corner (0-0)
A magnificent run from Ben Folami down the left flank ended at the feet of Josh Brillante at the byline on the opposite side of the box, with Brimmer and Rojas involved in the chain.
Brillante floated a cross to the back pst toward Folami but Tomislav Uskok got across to head the ball clear.
5′: CHANCE! Rojas calls Kurto into big save (0-0)
Slipped into the box by Brimmer, Marco Rojas attempted to find the bottom-left corner with a shot across the face of goal, only for Bulls keeper Filip Kurto to touch it around the post.
The offside flag was raised in the aftermath.
1′: KICK-OFF (0-0)
The cowbells ring as the action kicks off at Campbelltown Stadium!
“This is, make no mistake, the biggest game of their season… this is a huge game for the home team,” said Paramount+ co-commentator Phil Moss on the first whistle, with the Bulls desperate to keep their place in the top six.
TEAM NEWS
It’s game number 50 for Bulls forward Al Hassan Toure in the A-League Men’s; his 20th at Macarthur after 30 with the Reds.
As for the visitors, Jake Brimmer returns to Popovic’s midfield after clearing a concussion test. Star full back Jason Davidson, however, misses through illness, with Stefan Nigro his replacement in defence.
KEY STAT
This will be the fourth A-League Men match between Macarthur FC and Melbourne Victory; the Victory won their most recent meeting (3-1, 4 March 2022) after losing each of their first two games against the Bulls.
