A-League: Riley McGree scores twice in Adelaide win over Victory

Adelaide United’s Riley McGree has scored a brace in a 3-1 win against Melbourne Victory.

Riley McGree, centre, after his second goal, with teammates Ryan Strain and Nikola Mileusnic. Picture: Sarah Reed

Adelaide United’s Riley McGree has emerged from a fog of controversy to score a brace in a 3-1 win against Melbourne Victory in Saturday night’s A-League grudge match.

McGree, now with six league goals this campaign, extended the Victory’s miserable form – the powerhouse have just a solitary win after seven games.

After McGree’s first-half goal, Victory captain Ola Toivonen equalled in the 61st minute.

But in the next minute, Adelaide’s Michael Maria scored before McGree slotted his second just six minutes later.

McGree on Tuesday was suspended from internationals until April next year after an incident while he was captaining Australia’s under-23 side last March.

But the attacking midfielder shrugged off the furore with an influential display before a 12,198-strong crowd at Coopers Stadium in Adelaide.

Riley McGree, lower right, scores the opening goal with Nikola Mileusnic about to come in and celebrate with him. Victory’s Brandon Lauton in the background has his hands on his head. Picture: Sarah Reed

McGree’s opener came after a diagonal charge from teammate Ryan Strain which set-up Kristian Ospeth – the Norwegian striker swung a right-footed shot which rolled into the far post.

The ball rebounded to the tracking McGree, who deftly controlled with his body and tapped-in from a metre.

The goal was deserved for Adelaide, who made the running as Reds recruit James Troisi orchestrated play from midfield against his former club.

Troisi was industrious, striker Ospeth was creative upfront and Adelaide’s defence held firm until Victory substitutes Elvis Kamsoba and Robbie Kruse provided a brief second-half spark.

Kruse expertly created Toivonen’s 61st-minute goal, winning a duel with Strain and launching a left-footer across the goal-face to his captain, whose first-timer thumped into the net.

But Victory’s joy was as short-lived as possible.

Adelaide’s Maria replied in the next minute – after a chain of possession from the restart, he raced forward and darted into the box, with his low left-footer clipping Victory’s diving Thomas Deng en route to the net.

McGree sealed Adelaide’s fourth win of the season in the 68th minute, emerging in possession from a tangle with Tim Hoogland, cutting towards goal and firing from 7m.

AAP