Melbourne City came from behind to earn a 2-1 victory over Western United at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on Saturday night. Young defender Ivan Vujica scored his first goal in the A-League after 22 minutes, and Craig Noone cancelled it out 10 minutes later. Jamie Maclaren managed to get his name on the scoresheet towards the end of the game to ensure that the hosts snatched all three points.
While City had initally started well, it took a little over 20 minutes for the deadlock to be broken as United were the ones to draw first blood. Victor Sanchez took a short corner and rushed towards the box as Alessandro Diamanti teed him up for a curling cross towards the far post. During that time, Vujica did well to shake off his marker and send in a hard header that made its way into the back of the net.
Ten minutes after the home side had gone behind, Noone produced a moment of individual brilliance as he waltzed into the box and cut in to take a right-footed shot that curled past goalkeeper Filip Kurto and clattered into the post before going into goal. The experienced midfielder did very well to take the shot on his weaker foot and place it well to equalise for his side on that occasion.
A minute after Patrick Kisnorbo’s men had drawn level, youngster Taras Gomulka took on a sensational volleyed shot that saw Kurto diving at full stretch, but the ball kissed the outside of the post and went just wide.
Royston Griffiths gave his side a few more defensive problems as he fell prey to injury during the course of the game. Despite a bandaged thigh, the midfielder turned makeshift defender had to make way for Kerrin Stokes.
United were beginning to get back into the game in the second-half when Kisnorbo introduced Marco Tilio in place of Naoki Tsubaki while Stefan Colakovski who came on for goalscorer Noone a few minutes later. The changes had a very visible impact as youngsters began an inspired period of pressure that saw pacy runs out wide that put the visitors’ defence on a significant amount of pressure.
Just before Colakovski had come on, however, Noone crossed from a corner that ended up being cleared. The ball was reposessed by City and eventually made its way to the Englishman who sent in another cross. Yet again the result was the same as the ball was cleared, then reposeessed by the hosts and handed back to him on the left wing. Instead of crossing for a third time, the former Cardiff City man cut in and played Tilio on goal. The youngster fired with intent and did so quickly, but the ball was directed straight at Kurto and the shot-stopper made a decent save.
As City started to push hard for a winner with less than 10 minutes to go, Adrian Luna played an incisive through ball that allowed the pacy Colakovski to rush forward. The youngster produced a superb first touch to cut the ball across to Maclaren and beat the ‘keeper in the process, leaving the experienced forward to tap the ball into the back of the open goal.
As the man in charge called time on the game, City took all three points to continue a record that sees them having won every time they have faced United in the A-League.
Melbourne City will have a bit of a break before their next game, as they take on Central Coast Mariners at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on Feb 3. Meanwhile, Western United look set to play host to Perth Glory next Saturday.
