Melbourne Victory started its A-League season with a 3-1 loss to Brisbane Roar on Saturday.
Summary
Callum McManaman’s brilliant strike cancelled out Scott McDonald’s opener at AAMI Park before Nick Ansell hit the post for Victory.
Brisbane enjoyed the better of the second half and secured its win through a Macaulay Gillesphey header and Dylan Wenzel-Halls goal.
The new-look Victory saw four players – McManaman, Jacob Butterfield, Ben Folami and Rudy Gestede – make their A-League debuts.
Both teams were lively early, with McManaman and Jake Brimmer particularly bright for Victory.
But Brisbane went ahead through McDonald, whose 16th-minute tap-in was awarded following a VAR check.
Victory deservedly levelled through McManaman in the 24th minute.
The attacker took possession on the right wing before cutting inside and curling a brilliant strike into the far corner from 20 yards.
Victory went close to going ahead before half-time, Ansell hitting the post with a header from a Brimmer corner, while McManaman curled another effort wide.
Gestede made his Victory debut off the bench after the second half started at a slower tempo.
However, Brisbane went ahead through Gillesphey, who headed in a Corey Brown corner on the hour-mark.
Wenzel-Halls fired an effort wide for the Roar in the 62nd minute before McManaman lifted a 20-yard strike over the bar.
But Brisbane sealed its win with 11 minutes remaining through Wenzel-Halls after a long ball.
Player in focus
Key moment
What they said – McManaman
on his goal…
“Definitely, but still very disappointed that we didn’t get anything out of the game. It’s a small consolation really.”
on lack of match practice…
“I thought in the first half we were the better side, but we’ll have to go again next week and we’ll have to put it right.”
on his experience at AAMI Park…
“It was good to get back playing in front of crowds. I enjoyed it, especially in the first half, looking forward to getting back playing in here again.”
Result
Hyundai A-League 2020/21
Melbourne Victory 1 (Callum McManaman 24′)
Brisbane Roar 3 (Scott McDonald 16′, Macaulay Gillesphey 60′, Dylan Wenzel-Halls 79′)
Melbourne Victory: Crocombe (gk); Roux, Anderson, Ansell, Traore; Butterfield (Barnett 63′), Broxham (c); McManaman, Brimmer, Rojas (Kamsoba 72′); Folami (Gestede 57′).
Brisbane Roar: Young (gk); Hingert, Aldred, Gillesphey, Brown; Danzaki (Ingham 87′), O’Shea, Akbari, Champness (Daley 54′); Wenzel-Halls (Parsons 90+4′), McDonald.
Yellow cards: Gillesphey 45+1′, McManaman 46′, Traore 54′, Anderson 61′, Roux 81′
Red cards: Nil
Attendance: 10,304
Venue: AAMI Park
Next up
Victory and Roar meet again on January 10, this time in Brisbane.
