Western Sydney Wanderers have become the first team to defeat Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park this season with a 2-1 away win in front of a healthy 21,638 attendance.
Iacopo La Rocca opened the scoring in the early goings for the visitors before Japanese veteran Shinji Ono doubled the advantage with less than twenty minutes remaining. Youngster Connor Pain found the net soon after, however his strike was nothing more than a consolation for the hosts.
La Rocca handed the visitors the lead after the Victory defence failed to clear a Shinji Ono free-kick leaving the Wanderers midfielder first to pounce and bury it past Nathan Coe.
The atmosphere inside AAMI Park was electrifying, however this did not intimidate West Sydney but rather spur them on further, with Mark Bridge coming close to a second only to blast his shot well over the bar.
On the half hour mark the home side had a golden opportunity through a three on two counter attack to level the scores, however midfielder Marco Flores poor first touch allowed the Wanderers defence to regroup and clear the danger.
With less than twenty minutes remaining Ono doubled the visitors lead after Youssof Hersi saw his shot spilled by Coe to the feet of the Japanese veteran who had no trouble finding the back of the net.
Only three minutes later, Pain was sent through on goal by a great Billy Celeski pass, the youngster made no mistake, giving the home side some hope to snatch a draw.
The goal turned out to be nothing more than a consolation for the home side, as they remain in third place, five points behind the Wanderers.
MV – Nathan COE, Leigh BROXHAM, Diogo FERREIRA, Scott GALLOWAY, Daniel MULLEN, Billy CELESKI, Mark MILLIGAN, Marco FLORES (Connor Pain 57th min), Andrew NABBOUT , Marco ROJAS, Adrian LEIJER.
WSW – Ante COVIC, Adam D’APUZZO, Nikolai TOPOR-STANLEY, Michael BEAUCHAMP, Jerome POLENZ, Mateo POLJAK, Youssof HERSI (Labinot HALITI 77th min), Iacopo LA ROCCA (Aaron MOOY 74th min), Mark BRIDGE, Shinji ONO (Shannon Cole 86th min), Dino KRESINGER.
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