Melbourne Victory recorded back-to-back wins as they beat Central Coast Mariners in the Isuzu UTE A-League on Saturday evening.
Arthur Diles’ side, now unbeaten in seven matches, trailed at the break to Ngor’s seventh-minute effort.
Nishan Velupillay celebrated his latest Socceroos call-up by heading Victory’s equaliser.
And just four minutes later, Juan Mata’s fifth goal of the 2025/26 season decided matters in the Round 22 fixture at AAMI Park.
Substitutes Nikos Vergos and Jason Davidson would score third and fourth goals of the contest in additional time for the Boys in Blue, providing the Victory faithful a thrilling ending to celebrate.
Team News
The Head Coach made one change to the starting line-up, with Santos replacing Keegan Jelacic in a straight swap. Among the substitutes were the returning Davidson and recalled Reno Piscopo.
Match Action
Victory’s first attacking passage involved Mata and Velupillay before a Jordi Valadon shot had the heat taken out of it by a deflection.
Unfortunately, at the other end, when Roderick Miranda strived to block an Ngor shot, after Jack Warshawsky had bravely smothered the initial chance, it spun cruelly into the net.
Nathanael Blair could have doubled the away team’s lead moments later, but lost his composure after evading the goalkeeper to latch onto a forward ball.
In response to conceding, the hosts twice went close to a leveller. Velupillay expertly controlled Sebastian Esposito’s pick out, only to be denied at close quarters by Andrew Redmayne, and Mata’s follow-up was headed off the goalline by Storm Roux. The Mariners’ no.15 would then deny Victory again, steaming back into his box to divert Denis Genreau’s close-range header behind.
Last-ditch defending in the opposite penalty area kept the deficit at one. Ngor managed to evade Franco Lino and lobbed Warshawsky; thankfully, Esposito was able to hook the ball clear under pressure from Blair.
The half ended with more offensive intent from Diles’ men, and an equaliser would have arrived had it not been for timely interventions from Lucas Mauragis and Bradley Tapp, denying Mata and Joshua Rawlins.
Half-time: Melbourne Victory 0-1 Central Coast Mariners
Diles made a half-time change, introducing Matthew Grimaldi for Santos. But the danger, at first, was in the defensive third, and the Boys in Blue were relieved to see Ali Auglah’s finish ruled out for offside.
Five minutes into the second 45, fresh from Valadon forcing a fine save from Redmayne, Victory drew level. The unlikely source of Miranda delivered dangerously from the left, and Velupillay timed his run expertly to head in.
The Australian international then played a big hand in the go-ahead goal. His thud from long range was only parried by the ‘keeper, and Mata was following in the opportunity to nod the rebound into the corner.
Velupillay thought, for a split second, that he had added a third, but his strike was ruled offside. Then, when he and substitute Vergos combined to set up Mata, the Spaniard stunned his attempt over the top.
The next introduction, Jelacic, was foiled by Redmayne when Mata sent him clear, and Grimaldi could not apply an adequate connection to the loose ball.
However, the Boys in Blue would not only push past touching distance to seal the three points in additional time, scored by Vergos, going the length of the pitch on the counter-attack, but also enjoy a fourth and final from substitute Davidson, who slammed in from Genreau’s neat cue.
Match Details
Melbourne Victory 4 (VELUPILLAY 50′, MATA 54′, VERGOS 90+1′, DAVIDSON 90+4′).
Central Coast Mariners 1 (NGOR 7′)
Melbourne Victory starting XI: 40. Jack WARSHAWSKY (GK), 22. Joshua RAWLINS, 21. Roderick MIRANDA (C), 15. Sebastian ESPOSITO, 18. Franco LINO (2. Jason DAVIDSON 90+3′), 8. Jordi VALADON, 10. Denis GENREAU, 17. Nishan VELUPILLAY (23. Keegan JELACIC 78′), 64. Juan MATA (7. Reno PISCOPO 90+3′), 11. SANTOS (14. Matthew GRIMALDI 46′), 44. Charles NDUKA (9. Nikolaos VERGOS 69′).
Substitutes not used: 25. Jack DUNCAN (GK), 34. Xavier STELLA.
Booking: None.
Central Coast Mariners starting XI: 30. Andrew REDMAYNE (GK) (C), 2. James DONACHIE, 5. Lucas MAURAGIS, 6. Haine EAMES (17. Kaito TANIGUCHI 76′), 8. Alfie MCCALMONT, 11. Sebit NGOR, 15. Storm ROUX (43. Jacob NASSO 76′), 18. Nathanael BLAIR (23. Oliver LAVALE 62′), 26. Bradley TAPP, 48. Chris DONNELL (37. Bailey BRANDTMAN 62′), 72. Ali AUGLAH.
Substitutes not used: 40. Dylan PERAIC-CULLEN (GK), 3. Nathan PAULL, 16. Harrison STEELE.
Booking: EAMES 29′.
Coming soon
Following the first Men’s international break of 2026, there is more A-League action at AAMI Park, with Victory hosting Wellington Phoenix, whom they have already beaten twice this season.
