MELBOURNE Victory has overtaken Adelaide United in third after a dramatic 4-3 win in one of the season’s most absorbing contests on Saturday night at AAMI Park.
Spanish striker Sergio Cirio scored the first and last goals on his way to a hat-trick but Victory dominated in between to earn a deserved win at the start of its hectic two-month schedule.
Gui Finkler overcame the disappointment of being the foreigner to make way for the Asian Champions League to put on a clinic with a brace to boot while Archie Thompson and sub Kosta Barbarouses rounded out the scoring.
The win was soured by an ankle injury to Tom Rogic, who was desperately unlucky as he hyperextended his ankle when accidentally stepping on the foot of teammate Leigh Broxham.
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Though the penalty box at the South End was chopped up from last week’s Bruce Springsteen concert, the Boss didn’t have any ill-effects on the contest as the pair produced one of the highest quality games of the season.
It was three minutes old when Adelaide broke on the counter and Cirio read Fabio Ferreira’s cutback quickest to tap the ball in.
Victory struggled to cope with Adelaide’s frantic start but slowly the home side gained the ascendancy and control after equalising through Finkler.
Nick Ansell of Victory heads the ball against Adelaide United. Source: Getty Images
Nigel Boogaard turned the ball over after United attempted to play out from the back and Thompson found the Brazilian who reacted to a bobble by controlling then volleying it superbly just inside the upright.
Bustling Bruce Djite then held off Nick Ansell before centering for Cirio who cleverly dinked it over onrushing Coe.
Victory suffered a huge blow just after the restart with Rogic’s withdrawal, though replacement Barbarouses was lively in his second game back from injury.
Nick Ansell of Victory and Jeronimo Neumann of Adelaide collide. Source: Getty Images
Victory hit the lead in the 66th minute when Thompson tapped into an empty net albeit from a tight angle after Adelaide keeper Eugene Galekovic shanked a clearance from James Troisi’s pass.
And outstanding work from Finkler paved the way for a fourth. He received the ball from Barbarouses and dribbled three Adelaide players though his shot was blocked by Galekovic.
The rebound fell to Troisi, who rounded the keeper with lightning feet before crossing to the Kiwi to tap in.
A Contreras slip at the Springsteen end _ allowed Cirio to pounce and smash the ball home at the near post to make for a nervy finish but Victory held on in a tense and gripping finale.
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