Super-sub Marco Tilio saves Melbourne City in thriller

Marco Tilio has rescued an all-important three points for Melbourne City.

Curtis Good celebrates with Melbourne City teammates after scoring a goal against Wellington Phoenix Picture: Getty Images

Super-sub Marco Tilio has rescued an all-important three points for Melbourne City as they hung on to victory in a seesawing contest against the Wellington Phoenix.

Curtis Good and Jamie Maclaren both fired either side of Tomar Hemed’s initial equaliser for the Phoenix, capping off an end-to-end first-half before Ulises Davila tied the game early in the second-half.

Tilio, who was thrown on in search of a winner, nodded home the winner in the 83rd minute which sent Melbourne back into second place.

Watch Every Match of The 2020/21 A-League Season Live & On-Demand on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

City came out of the blocks full of steam and were rewarded as Craig Noone’s cross found Good at the back-post to nod home the opener on 17 minutes.

Melbourne somehow didn’t double their lead shortly after as both Andrew Nabbout and Florin Berenguer missed great opportunities with the latter denied brilliantly by Oliver Sail.

Following a swift counter-attack, Wellington found an equaliser as Hemed’s effort was too much for Tom Glover to keep out – latching onto a superb ball from David Ball to smash in the equaliser.

However, City responded almost immediately and it was Maclaren who capped off superb midfield work from Connor Metcalfe to wrestle the lead back at half-time – firing in his 13th of the season.

After the break, Noone had a great chance to fire home City’s third but was denied by the superb goalkeeping of Sail – staying firm in the one-on-one.

The contest yet again turned on its head as Davila dummied past two City defenders before firing in a superb left-footed rocket past the outstretched paw of Glover to tie the game for a second time.

It wasn’t to be for Wellington as supersub Tilio got on the end of Metcalfe’s inch-perfect cross to fire home the winner for City.

Opportunities for Tilio this season have been few and far between but on this occasion, he took his with both hands.

The 19-year-old forward was thrusted on to find a winner and he did just that.

Patrick Kisnorbo would be resting easy knowing he has quality who can find the net when his dazzling front-three are misfiring or need an extra hand.

Meanwhile, Davila is right up there among the most talented players in the A-League.

The Mexican dynamo yet again showed his class, scoring a fantastic goal and being a constant attacking threat for Wellington – dazzling in-front of the adopted Phoenix faithful in Wollongong and his own little fan-club.

Another performance which puts him right in the mix for the Johnny Warren Medal.

Nathaniel Atkinson has been one of the many bright sparks for Melbourne City so far this season.

However, the full-back was forced with a hamstring injury inside the opening-half which is a hammer blow to City’s defensive stocks.

It’s yet another injury for City’s back four who have battled absences throughout the season and are still without captain and first-choice left-back Scott Jamieson.