Report: Jets 0-1 Victory

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Melbourne Victory clinched a record fourth Hyundai A-League championship with a 1-0 win over the Newcastle Jets in the Grand Final.

Summary

A first-half goal from Kosta Barbarouses was enough to seal Victory’s title success at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday.

The Jets were reduced to 10 men late on when forward Roy O’Donovan saw red for a crude challenge.

The win saw Victory become the first team to claim four Hyundai A-League championships as it secured its second in four years and booked its spot in the 2019 AFC Champions League.

Both teams made an energetic start in front of a sell-out crowd and Victory took a ninth-minute lead.

Leroy George’s set-piece from the left was nodded down by James Donachie and Barbarouses finished from inside the area with a left-footed strike.

But the visitor needed an incredible save from Lawrence Thomas in the 17th minute to keep its lead.

The Victory goalkeeper dived to his left to stop an O’Donovan effort from inside the area before Thomas Deng reacted quickest to clear the danger.

The Jets continued to push for an equaliser, while George forced Glen Moss into a good save in the 26th minute.

But Thomas again came to Victory’s rescue with a remarkable double save just after the half-hour mark.

The shot-stopper got down low to his left to push away a Riley McGree strike before stunningly denying Jason Hoffman on the rebound, ensuring Victory took a lead into the break.

Victory made a strong start to the second half, controlling the tempo and remaining compact at the back.

The visitor looked the more likely and only a goal-line clearance denied Victory a second in the 68th minute.

Joe Champness side-footed over the bar for the Jets in the 82nd minute before James Troisi smashed the outside of the post after being put in by Besart Berisha.

Led by the in-form Thomas, Victory held firm in the closing stages to secure the championship, with the goalkeeper caught late by an awful challenge that saw O’Donovan sent off.

Player in focus

Key moment

Result

Hyundai A-League 2017/18 Grand Final
Newcastle Jets 0
Melbourne Victory 1
(Kosta Barbarouses 9′)

Newcastle Jets: Moss (gk), Koutroumbis, Boogaard (c), Topor-Stanley, Georgievski (Rodriguez 74′), Ugarkovic, McGree, Vargas (Champness 65′), Hoffman, O’Donovan, Petratos
Melbourne Victory: Thomas (gk), Nigro (Sanchez 77′), Donachie, Deng, Broxham, Valeri (c), Antonis, Troisi, Barbarouses, Berisha, George

Yellow cards: Georgievski 51′, Hoffman 90+1′, Sanchez 90+2′
Red cards: O’Donovan 90+3′
Attendance: 29,410
Venue: McDonald Jones Stadium