Melbourne Victory hosted Gold Coast United for the second and final time this regular season in the Round 25 Hyundai A-League encounter at AAMI Park.
In sweltering 38 degrees heat, Victory rejigged their unit electing to reward 21 year old Mate Dugandzic for his two-goal contribution in mid-week. Petar Franjic stepped in for the suspended Victory Captain Kevin Muscat.
Gold Coast United have been in red hot form of late but were without unwell striker Shane Smeltz. United welcomed new signing South Korean midfielder Sung Kil Kim as playmaker supported by twin towers Peter Perchtold and Bas van den Brink.
Unfortunately van den Brink would only last 5 minutes after straining ankle ligaments being challenged Grant Brebner. Brebner got to the ball first but was lunging from behind and caught the Dutchman’s ankle awkwardly.
Five minutes later Roddy Vargas went into the book for another tackle from behind, this time on South Korean Kim. Vargas was entangled seconds later with Djite in a good natured scrap with the in-form striker; Victory wanting to assert themselves early.
Victory went ahead at almost exactly the same moment as the mid-week game against the Fury. Grant Brebner collected the ball from a loose Kim pass in midfield and released Danny Allsopp at forty yards. The prodigal striker then commenced an incisive run which was invited by the retreating United defenders. Allsopp took four touches as he accelerated into space and unleashed a strike with the outside of his right boot. The ball fairly broke the net as Glen Moss was not equal to a fine effort.
After the break and with the sun now not directly hitting the pitch, the players were able to stretch their legs a little bit more. United found good field position down Victory’s right side, Ivorian Adama Traore continuing to evade stand-in Captain Adrian Leijer.
A fine ball from Diogo Ferreira as the game approached the hour mark beat the offside trap and found Allsopp again making a brilliant run. The striker held the ball up and instead made space for his own shot as Curtis dropped off. A powerful curling left foot shot into the top left hand corner had Moss at full stretch, but the Kiwi ‘keeper could do nothing. United players claimed handball but a sensationally deep Victory squad against an in-form Gold Coast United was two to the good.
Allsopp was unlucky not to have his hattrick several times throughout the second half as the Blue and Whites luxuriated in possession on their fine home surface. A few tense moments towards injury time had ‘keeper Michael Petkovic earning his clean sheet in style. His effort denying Joel Porter who beat the offside trap from a second phase corner was superb.
Melbourne Victory still have a mathematical chance of attaining second place at the end of the regular Hyundai A-League season.
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