Melbourne Victory recorded its first win on Tasmanian soil and fine tuned its preparations ahead of the 2009/10 season with a 2-1 defeat of Adelaide United in a Grand Final rematch at Aurora Stadium on Sunday.
Melbourne Victory recorded its first win on Tasmanian soil and fine tuned its preparations ahead of the 2009/10 season with a 2-1 defeat of Adelaide United in a Grand Final rematch at Aurora Stadium on Sunday.
Grant Brebner and Archie Thompson secured the result for Melbourne Victory in the first half, with Brazilian Cassio finding the net for Adelaide in the latter stages of Melbourne Victory’s final friendly ahead of its season opener against Central Coast Mariners at Etihad Stadium on Thursday, August 6.
A vociferous crowd of 6257 witnessed a lively start to Melbourne Victory’s fourth match in as many years in Launceston, with chances coming at both ends in the opening minutes.
Adelaide striker Cristiano had a close range header parried away by a diving Glen Moss, before Thompson hit the post moments later following a dashing run at former Melbourne Victory goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic.
It took 16 minutes for Melbourne Victory to register its opening goal, with Scottish midfielder Brebner finding space in the penalty area and tapping home a Leigh Broxham corner kick.
Broxham turned provider again with another corner kick 12 minutes later, this time finding Thompson, who doubled Melbourne Victory’s lead.
Cassio was introduced soon after the break and reduced the margin with a clean volley from a pinpoint Shin cross on 57 minutes.
All Melbourne Victory players will appear at the Melbourne Victory Fan Fest at on Sunday, August 2, before facing Central Coast in Round 1 of the 2009/10 season at Etihad Stadium August 6 (kick off 8pm).
Melbourne Victory 2 (Grant Brebner 19′, Archie Thompson 29′)
Adelaide United 1 (Cassio 57′)
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Aurora Stadium, Launceston
Referee: Kevin Docherty
Crowd: 6257
Melbourne Victory: 20.Glen MOSS (gk), 2.Kevin MUSCAT (Captain), 6.Leigh BROXHAM, 8.Grant BREBNER, 9.Danny ALLSOPP (11.NEY FABIANO 78′), 10.Archie THOMPSON, 12.Rodrigo VARGAS, 15.Tom PONDELJAK (22.Nick WARD 73′), 16.Carlos HERNANDEZ (14.Billy CELESKI 62′), 17.Matthew FOSCHINI (Youth), 19.Evan BERGER
Substitutes not used: 1.Mitchell LANGERAK (gk)
Adelaide United: 1.Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk), 3.ALEMAO (23.Joe COSTA 85′), 4.Iain FYFE, 7.Lucas PANTELIS, 9.CRISTIANO, 10.Adam HUGHES, 13.Travis DODD (Captain), 14.Scott JAMIESON, 15.Francesco MONTEROSSO (6.CASSIO 53′), 16.SHIN (2.Robert CORNTHWAITE 61′), 17.Michael MARRONE
Substitutes not used: 20.Mark BIRIGHITTI (gk)
Yellow cards: Lucas Pantelis 30′
