Despite the absence of its most prolific goalscorer Besart Berisha due to general soreness, Melbourne Victory scored the goals needed to defeat Central Coast Mariners 2-1 at AAMI Park on Thursday evening. Brazilian ace Gui Finkler stepped into the breach, scoring twice within three minutes in the first half to give his team a comfortable lead and eventually the three points which took it back to the top of the table for the first time this season.
The Mariners began brightly before Oliver Bozanic fired a warning shot across the bow of the Mariners in the eighth minute. Seven minutes later he and Finkler combined on the edge of the box to slice open the Mariners’ defence and create a world-class goal. Finkler took possession and played a forward pass through the legs of a Mariner opponent to Bozanic, whose clever back heel through the legs of another Mariner opened up the Central Coast’s defence for Finkler to collect the return and slot the ball past exposed keeper Paul Izzo.
Three minutes later Finkler doubled the lead from a direct free kick. The Mariner’s wall left Izzo exposed at his near post and Finkler’s perfect strike from 25 metres gave the keeper little chance.
Victory continued to create the better chances in the first half, with Berisha’s replacement George Howard skying a difficult half chance from a Barbarouses cross.
The Mariners looked hesitant in their final third, playing with just lone striker Roy O’Donovan, who tried to pressure the Victory defence but only managed to receive a booking for a late challenge on Leigh Broxham.

The technically talented midfielder Caceras was the Mariner’s most impressive player but even he couldn’t provide the final pass to open up a solid Victory defence.

The Mariners again started the second half on the front foot, with skipper Nick Montgomery forcing a good save by Victory keeper Vukovic. Although Victory wasn’t as dominant in possession in the second half, it continued to create the better chances against a Mariner’s team forced to chase the game. For all its effort, too often the final pass went astray. It managed to score a belated consolation in the 90th minute when sub Matt Sim headed home from close range after a corner wasn’t cleared.

After the match, Victory coach Kevin Muscat commented: “It would have been a shame for us to go to Sydney, take the three points, and then not capitalise on the points here tonight. That was certainly spoken about. Two very different performances but clearly both performances worthy of the three points.”