Melbourne Victory comfortably beat FC Seoul to get their first AFC Champions League Two win on Tuesday night.
Giovanni Savarese’s team scored thrice in the second half at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium to claim a valuable three points on Match Day 2.
Guillermo May’s first goal for the Club, sharply reacting in the penalty box, was added to by Santos’ second in as many Group E matches and a splendid curling finish from Jordi Valadon.
Team News
The Head Coach made half a dozen changes to the starting XI from Match Day 1. Three of these were in the backline, with Brendan Hamill and Harry Shillington, making his first start, and Philipp Ziereis, wearing the armband, coming in. Denis Genreau was promoted to start alongside Valadon in midfield, with off-season offensive recruits May and Harry Sawyer also in from the first whistle. 12 substitutes, as per competition regulations, were available to Victory.
Match Action
It was a bitty start to proceedings on a crisp Victorian evening, and it was not until a quarter of an hour played that the game welcomed its first shot in anger. Keegan Jelacic took aim from outside the box, with Lim Junsub electing to palm it away.
Up the other end, things were proving largely stress-free for the Boys in Blue, and when alarm bells threatened to ring, Ziereis twice mopped up. Leonardo Ruiz was stopped in his tracks, and Samuel Gbato’s low centre was decisively cut out.
There would be a let-off during injury time, when Park Soo-Il’s corner found Lee Han-do unmarked, but the captain spun his header clear of the crossbar.
Half-time: Melbourne Victory 0-0 FC Seoul
Victory nearly opened the second 45 with a bang, working the play neatly inside, where May’s corner-bound effort was deflected behind. The Uruguayan tried his luck again soon after, grazing the roof of the net with a wide free kick.
Ruiz popped up again to cause a potential headache, arriving at the far post to meet Soo-Il’s cross, only for his header to be straight at Jack Duncan.
Recognising Seoul’s growing confidence, Savarese introduced two sets of fresh legs from the bench, and one of these, Michael Ghossaini, helped bring about the opener just a minute later. His drive forward gave May an opportunity, which he crashed against the post, and from the second phase of this attack, the man denied by the woodwork was able to guide in the loose ball from a deflected Genreau effort.
Nine minutes later, the advantage was doubled through Santos. Again Genreau was involved, this time hooking the ball centrally for Santos to charge after and rifle home.
The win was made absolutely certain late on, with another Genreau assist. On this occasion it was supplying Valadon, whose curling finish was too accurate for Junsub’s full-stretch dive.
Match Details
Melbourne Victory 3 (MAY 64′, SANTOS 73′, VALADON 84′).
FC Seoul 0
Melbourne Victory starting XI: 25. Jack DUNCAN (GK), 16. Joshua INSERRA, 4. Philipp ZIEREIS (C), 5. Brendan HAMILL, 36. Harry SHILLINGTON (18. Franco LINO 79′), 8. Jordi VALADON, 10. Denis GENREAU, 23. Keegan JELACIC (22. Xavier STELLA 72′), 21. Guillermo MAY (44. Charles NDUKA 80′), 14. Matthew GRIMALDI (11. SANTOS 63′), 9. Harrison SAWYER (29. Michael GHOSSAINI 63′).
Substitutes not used: 1. Jack WARSHAWSKY (GK), 3. Jason DAVIDSON, 15. Tom LOCKYER, 19. Oliver DRAGICEVIC, 24. Malik OLUKHALE, 26. Jack MIHAILIDIS, 28. William KENGNI.
Booking: None.
FC Seoul starting XI: 1. Lim JUNSUB (GK), 4. Lee SANGMIN, 11. Leonardo RUIZ, 14. Jeong HYUN-WOO (73. Shin JI-SEOP 80′), 17. Ahn JAE MIN (40. Park SEONGHOON 54′), 19. Cheon SEONGHOON, 20. Lee HAN-DO (C), 24. Kim MINJOON (21. Jung HAWON 46′), 66. Park SOO-IL, 88. Park Jang HAN-GYEOL (23. Ko PILGWAN 76′), 99. Samuel GBATO (47. Jeong HYEON-UNG 54′).
Substitutes not used: 71. Yun KIWOOK (GK), 36. Kim JEEWON, 49. Lee SEOHYUN, 77. Kim KANGJUN.
Booking: JAE MIN 71′.
