The game commenced with a flurry of attempts from both sides. Zinédine Machach spearheaded Melbourne’s early attacking efforts with a left-footed strike from the left side of the box, only to be denied by a solid save from the Jets’ goalkeeper. Victory continued to press forward, displaying their intent to seize control of the match from the onset.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 20th minute when Roderick Miranda capitalised on a well-executed corner, directing a precise header into the back of the net. Jake Brimmer’s pinpoint cross found Miranda, who made no mistake with his finish, giving Victory a crucial lead.
Despite Melbourne’s dominance in possession, Newcastle Jets remained a threat on the counter-attack, forcing Melbourne’s defence to stay vigilant throughout the first half. The Victory’s defensive line held firm, denying the Jets any clear-cut opportunities to equalise.
In the 31st minute, a miss-timed clearance attempt from Damien Da Silva saw the ball hit his arm inside the Jets box and force VAR to give a penalty.
Paul Izzo stood strong to save Apostolos Stamatelopoulos’ shot but the Victory shot-stopper was deemed off his line before the ball was struck.
Standing strong again, Izzo saved Stamatelopoulos’ second penalty attempt to keep the Jets scoreless.
As the first half drew to a close, tensions rose with Newcastle Jets seeking to level the score before the whistle. However, Melbourne Victory’s defensive organisation thwarted their efforts, maintaining their one-goal advantage heading into the break.
The second half witnessed a flurry of opportunities for both sides, with Victory looking to extend their lead while the Jets searched for a breakthrough.
The decisive moment came in the 88th minute when Apostolos Stamatelopoulos rose highest to meet Lucas Mauragis’s cross, directing a powerful header into the back of the net to level the score for the Jets.
In the dying moments of stoppage time, Chris Ikonomidis came agonisingly close to securing victory for our boys in blue, only to be denied by the woodwork as his thunderous strike rattled the crossbar.
The final whistle blew and Tony Popovic’s side have now drawn four matches in a row but remain undefeated so far this season.
HIGHLIGHTS
Next Match
Melbourne Victory v Macarthur Bulls
Date: Saturday 10 February
Time: 5:30pm (AEDT)
Location: AAMI Park
Tickets: http://mvf.club/q6
