The Melbourne Victory have kept their National Youth League finals chances alive with a 2-0 win over the AIS in their round 18 match at AIS Athletics Track.
The Melbourne Victory have kept their National Youth League finals chances alive with a 2-0 win over the AIS in their round 18 match at AIS Athletics Track.
The score line didn-t reflect the closeness of a match which could have gone either way.
The AIS hit the woodwork on three separate occasions and both teams should have made more of a mark on the scoreboard.
In the end it was the Victory took their chances in a two minute purple patch in the first half which won the game.
The AIS dominated the early stages of the first half and let three genuine chances go begging, including a curling Marc Warren free kick a fraction too high for two unmarked players close to goal after five minutes and Patrick Dixon darting into the 18 yard box only to have his through ball pounced on by Victory goalkeeper Sebastian Mattei in the nick of time.
They were made to pay in the 30th minute, Matthew Theodore gaining possession unmarked in his attacking half, playing the ball forward and firing a super long range shot past AIS keeper Lawrence Thomas to draw first blood.
Three minutes later it was two nil when Aziz Behich converted a penalty after referee Gary Vandeburgt penalised AIS players were obstructing their opponents during a corner kick.
The AIS had two chances to narrow the lead before the break when Jake Barker-Daish latched onto a loose ball in the box and hit the right hand post, and minutes later Kamal Ibrahim shot just wide.
The second half was an open affair with missed chances aplenty, the Victory missed chances to notch a convincing win and the AIS should have scored at least one goal, if not more.
AIS defender Trent Sainsbury hit the crossbar with a header from a corner, and a Kamal Ibrahim shot parried into the post by a diving Mattei.
Eli Babalj was guilty of wasting opportunities, missing two free headers in the second half despite being the tallest man on the field.
The Victory were off target close to goal and Thomas also produced two courageous saves late in the game.
Melbourne Victory 2
(Theodore 30, Behich 32 p)
AIS 0
At AIS Athletics Track
