Melbourne City outclass Wellington Phoenix to claim crucial win to ease pressure after tough week

IT was the perfect response to last week’s debacle, as Melbourne City crafted a professional and high-intensity display to beat Wellington Phoenix at AAMI Park.

Bruno Fornaroli celebrates a goal against Wellington Phoenix.

IT was the perfect retort to last week’s debacle, as Melbourne City crafted a professional and high-intensity display to beat Wellington Phoenix.

Riley McGree’s returned to central midfield created a more balanced attack as Lachy Wales also shone and Bruno Fornaroli broke his longest A-League scoring drought in the 2-0 win.

Luke Brattan and Dario Vidosic, two of City’s top dogs, were axed after last week’s horror show and Warren Joyce’s ruthlessness paid off in front of a disappointing 6410 crowd at AAMI Park.

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Nathaniel Atkinson injected energy in his first start after returning from Young Socceroos duty, but it was the other inclusion – Lachy Wales – and McGree that did the most damage.

Playing off the left, Wales was direct, intelligent and dangerous, setting up the opener for Ritchie de Laet with a clever cutback, although the Belgian still had a bit to do when unleashing the 25-metre thunderbolt.

McGree, whose box-to-box industry was nullified last week as he played off the right, made a statement with his return to the centre as he provided the penetration badly lacking last week.

Ritchie de Laet celebrates the game’s opening goal.

Riley McGree under pressure from David Williams.

With 11th hour pre-season signing Kearyn Baccus preferred to mainstay Brattan – who was omitted from the squad altogether – as midfield anchor, McGree regularly came off the leash.

McGree’s ability to beat players and look forward at every opportunity was crucial, and something seriously lacking in last week’s pedestrian display when Fornaroli was completely isolated for 90 minutes.

Fornaroli relished the added support and upped intensity, although he was still lacking the killer instinct in the first half, as he fluffed several gilt-edged chances including a one-on-one when Wales released him with a superb flick.

Florin Berenguer had his rebound saved, but the Frenchman’s confidence will be boosted after his best performance of the season.

Just as talk grew louder about Fornaroli’s lack of goals, he popped up with a peach, delicately and masterfully stroking the ball into the top right-hand corner, out of reach of Phoenix keeper Filip Kurto.

But it was McGree who deserves as much credit, as he probed on the edge of the area, playing one-two with Fornaroli then turned back when running into a cul-de-sac where he found the Uruguayan who’d superbly peeled off to buy space.

Wellington thought they’d got a penalty when the VAR intervened after referee Adam Fielding had awarded a free-kick for handball.

The contact clearly occurred inside the penalty area, but Fielding controversially reversed the handball call on Scott Jamieson.

City’s increased intensity from last week almost claimed a victim, as athletic defender Bart Schenkeveld was floored after friendly fire from City keeper Eugene Galekovic, as the pair tried to stop ex-City attacker David Williams.

The Dutchman returned with a heavily strapped right wrist as City held on for its second win of the season.