Melbourne Victory played out a score draw with Adelaide United in the Isuzu UTE A-League on Friday night.
Despite taking the lead in stunning fashion after 26-minutes through Keegan Jelacic’s delightful goal, Adelaide would equalise later in the first half.
Despite chances falling to both sides, the one-all scoreline would be the final result at AAMI Park between two in-form teams.
Team News
Arthur Diles named an unchanged starting XI for the third straight match at AAMI Park. Returning from a brief spell on the sidelines through injury, Reno Piscopo was among the substitutes for the Boys in Blue.
Match Action
It was the hosts who attempted to set the agenda in Victoria, threatening early on through shots from Denis Genreau and Charles Nduka, each of which went over the top. They went closer approaching the quarter-hour mark, with it taking a deflection to divert Jordi Valadon’s left-footed drive around the post.
Adelaide would go very close through Dukuly, whose effort from the angle crashed the crossbar, but a raised flag meant it would have chalked off.
Then, just beyond the half’s mid-point, Victory would take the lead. Taking his assist count for the term into double figures, Juan Mata bundled a pass into the path of Jelacic, who sent Panagiotis Kikianis sliding into obscurity before squeezing the ball under Joshua Smits.
Unfortunately, within 10 minutes, the visitors were level. Jonny Yull’s sweeping effort was pushed away from goal by Jack Warshawsky, only for Dukuly to thump in the rebound.
The opening 45 would round out with the sides exchanging chances. Jelacic could not finish from an angle, and Charles Nduka, after strong pressing, was foiled by Smits, whilst Warshawsky used his feet to superbly keep out Luka Jovanovic.
Half-time: Melbourne Victory 1-1 Adelaide United
Neither team was able to get going immediately after the interval, and Victory’s movements were stalled when Genreau was forced off with a knock, being replaced by Xavier Stella.
Thankfully, insult was not added to injury when Jovanovic rounded the goalkeeper, as he inexplicably hit the post and not the back of the net.
Looking for fresh impetus, Diles turned to his bench, introducing Nikos Vergos, Santos and Matt Grimaldi in place of Nduka, Jelacic and Mata. The former was straight into the action, being fed in behind by Joshua Rawlins and forcing a smart intervention from Smits to his right. Vergos then forced the gloveman to push a near-post shot behind.
Grimaldi was also looking to take his opportunity, and was twice – by a block and a save – denied a goal.
While the final result ensured Victory extended their unbeaten run to four games, the missed opportunity to yet again claim all three points over the Reds in Melbourne will certainly fire the Boys in Blue up heading into their final seven games of the season.
Match Details
Melbourne Victory 1 (JELACIC 26′)
Adelaide United 1 (DUKULY 35′)
Melbourne Victory starting XI: 40. Jack WARSHAWSKY (GK), 2. Jason DAVIDSON, 21. Roderick MIRANDA (C), 15. Sebastian ESPOSITO, 22. Joshua RAWLINS, 10. Denis GENREAU (34. Xavier STELLA 55′), 8. Jordi VALADON, 17. Nishan VELUPILLAY (7. Reno PISCOPO 79′), 64. Juan MATA (14. Matthew GRIMALDI 66′), 23. Keegan JELACIC (11. SANTOS 66′), 44. Charles NDUKA (9. Nikolaos VERGOS 66′).
Substitutes not used: 25. Jack DUNCAN (GK), 16. Joshua INSERRA.
Booking: MIRANDA 42′, NDUKA 61′, JELACIC 63′ VERGOS 89′
Adelaide United starting XI: 22. Joshua SMITS (GK), 7. Ryan KITTO, 4. Panagiotis KIKIANIS, 3. Bart VRIENDS (C), 14. Jay BARNETT, 44. Ryan WHITE, 55. Ethan ALAGICH, 19. Yaya DUKULY (36. Panashe MADANHA 86′), 12. Jonny YULL (17. Ben FOLAMI 86′), 9. Luka JOVANOVIC (35. Brody BURKITT 77′), 10. Juan MUNIZ (23. Luke DUZEL 71′).
Substitutes not used: 40. Ethan COX (GK), 52. Sotirios PHILLIS, 65. Joey GARUCCIO.
Booking: ALAGICH 67′.
Coming soon
After a trip to Sydney FC for the Big Blue, Victory welcome Macarthur FC to AAMI Park in the middle of March.
