A-League: Melbourne Victory beat Melbourne City 2-1 in thrilling derby clash

MELBOURNE Victory has set the scene for an enthralling race for local supremacy after a 2-1 derby win on Friday night.

Melbourne Victory’s Leroy George (left) celebrates his second half goal with teammates Besart Berisha (centre) and James Troisi.

MELBOURNE Victory has set the scene for an enthralling race for local supremacy after a 2-1 derby win on Friday night.

Kevin Muscat outfoxed counterpart Warren Joyce, as his bold selections were justified to draw Victory to within a point of third-place City with five games left.

Improving Kosta Barbarouses starred, scoring the opener after his earlier finish was disallowed, while statement selections Thomas Deng and Matias Sanchez contributed strongly in the 2-1 win.

In-form Leroy George emphatically headed home the winner from a Leigh Broxham cross, cancelling out Bruno Fornaroli’s penalty spot equaliser in a heated and physical encounter.

Dutchman George limped off on 75 minutes clutching his left hamstring in the only blemish of the night for Victory at AAMI Park.

THRILLER: Gripping derby a reward for patience

While Victory were there for the taking, the result continues City’s trend of never having won two derbies in a season and poses questions about their big game mettle, again appearing to get the yips as finals near.

Melbourne Victory’s Leroy George (left) celebrates his second half goal with teammates Besart Berisha (centre) and James Troisi.

City coach Joyce’s lack of changes when chasing the game will also come into sharp focus in the derby analysis, with attacking threats Stefan Mauk and Nick Fitzgerald remaining on the bench despite City lacking penetration late in the game.

Instead, he reverted to the old-fashioned tactic of throwing big stopper Harrison Delbridge into the mixer in stoppage time.

Right-back Nathaniel Atkinson forced Victory keeper to scramble and tip a cross-cum-shot over the bar, but aside from that they merely looked like conceding as stoppage time chaos ensued, but James Troisi somehow missed an open goal when Dean Bouzanis was caught out going for a corner.

Bruno Fornaroli celebrates scoring from the penalty spot on his full return to the Melbourne City side.

It was 349 days since Bruno Fornaroli’s last A-League goal and the significance should not be lost on City fans despite the result.

Ross McCormack scored 14 goals in between but with the Scot returning to England since, Fornaroli’s finish to the season will determine how far City go in the finals.

City’s other sub was enforced as Daniel Arzani succumbed to severe cramp for marquee man Marcin Budzinski.

Arzani engineered two of City’s best chances, but Broxham won that duel and atoned for giving away the penalty that Fornaroli converted after raising his hand to block Dario Vidosic’s cross.

Barbarouses, who is among the A-League’s form players, cut in off the left to score the opener after a clever Besart Berisha release as Victory exposed Manny Muscat who got sucked out of position.

Tensions spilled over just before half time.

Deng, who deputised at right-back ahead of late sub Jason Geria in possibly his last Victory game before heading to Japan, was composed and up for the fight as the pre-half-time melee showed.

Melbourne City’s Daniel Arzani is stretchered off.

Sanchez was rewarded with a start over Carl Valeri but the captain came on late with 20 minutes left to help shut up shop, in a stark contrast to City’s frantic efforts.

MELBOURNE VICTORY 2 (Kosta Barbarouses 13m, Leroy George 62m) MELBOURNE CITY 1 (Bruno Fornaroli 54m pen) at AAMI Park. Crowd: 20,083. Referee: Kris Griffiths-Jones