Melbourne City pulled off a vital 2-1 win over an injury depleted Newcastle Jets at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday night.
Torrential rain had fans clambering for cover in the stands but it didn’t dampen what turned out to be an enthralling clash between the Jets and City on the field.
It was a game of two halves with a dominant Newcastle restricting City to just one decisive shot on target from the penalty spot before a much more even second half has eventually decided by a Manny Muscat thunderbolt.
Late inclusion in goal Dean Bouzanis made the most of his chance in the lineup as four top-drawer saves kept the Jets out early doors.
As the rain eased in Newcastle a wayward Marcin Budzinski back-pass fell to Andrew Nabbout in front of goal with the striker slotting the ball home at the second time of asking.
After dominating the first half Nigel Boogaard gifted the visitors a way back into the game shortly before half time as he went through the back of Ross McCormack in the box with the Scotsman calmly converting from the spot.
The second half failed to sparkle with the first chance of merit coming 20 minutes in as Nabbout’s shot from a cross was gathered by the impressive Bouzanis.
VAR was called upon 15 minutes from time as Bruce Kamau went down in the area after Nikolai Topor-Stanley had dangled a leg in front of the winger as he was through on goal. The original decision of a goal kick stood however there was no booking for simulation from Kamau.
Melbourne’s decisive strike came five minutes from time as Muscat sent the ball rocketing past Glen Moss to give the visitors an extremely hard fought win in Newcastle.
The Jets pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages but couldn’t steal back what would be a vital point.
Newcastle make the long trip to Perth Glory as they look to get back to winning ways while Melbourne welcome Central Coast Mariners to town on Sunday.
Newcastle Jets 1 (Nabbout 32′)
Melbourne City 2 (McCormack 40′, Muscat 86′)
McDonald Jones Stadium (8,108)
Referee: Stephen LUCAS
Assistant Referees: Ryan GALLAGHER & Andrej GIEV
Fourth Official: Adrian ARNDT
VAR: Strebre DELOVSKI
Newcastle Jets:
20. MOSS Glen (GK), 3. HOFFMAN Jason (23. CLUT Devante), 4. BOOGAARD Nigel (C), 5. KANTAROVSKI Ben, 6. UGARKOVIC Steven, 7. PETRATOS Dimitri, 13. VUJICA Ivan, 15. NABBOUT Andrew, 18. KOUTROUMBIS John, 24. CHAMPNESS Joe (12. SHABOW Mario 72′), 44. TOPOR-STANLEY Nikolai
Substitutes: 30. NECEVSKI Ivan (GK), 19. PETRATOS Kosta, 22. JACKSON Lachlan
Melbourne City:
1. BOUZANIS Dean (GK), 2. MUSCAT Manny, 3.JAMIESON Scott, 5. SCHENKEVELD Bart, 7. FITZGERALD Nick, 13. MAUK Stefan, 22. JAKOBSEN Michael (C), 25. LA ROCCA Iacopo, 26. BRATTAN Luke, 27. BUDZINSKI Marcin (11. KAMAU Bruce 46’), 44. McCORMACK Ross (17. CAHILL Tim 77′)
Substitutes: 18. GALEKOVIC Eugene, 14. ARZANI Daniel, 21. TONGYIK Ruon
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