A-League: Melbourne Victory move into third with win over Perth Glory

Melbourne Victory is suddenly back up into third on the A-League Men’s ladder after a 2-0 win over Perth Glory on Saturday night. Catch up with the latest news from the weekend’s action.

Two quickfire second half goals has seen Melbourne Victory climb to third on the A-League ladder.

Victory made it two wins on the trot in the away trip to Perth Glory with Nishan Velupillay and Clarismario Santos getting on the scoresheet just several minutes apart.

Velupillay opened the scoring for the Victory, tapping home Oli Sail’s parried save as he denied Zinédine Machach from long range.

Santos was on target in the 66th minute, heading home from Nikos Vergos’ inch perfect cross as Victory took control of the contest.

The visitors could have easily been ahead in the first 45 minutes if not for some clever keeping from Sail who produced two smart saves to keep the Victory out.

Glory’s best chance of the contest came just seconds into the second half through Adam Taggart.

After being played through on goal, the Socceroos striker deftly lifted the ball over onrushing Victory goalkeeper Mitch Langerak before Brendan Hamill who cleared the ball about a metre from the line.

Late Jets brace as F3 Derby ends in a draw

Newcastle has slotted a second-half brace to draw 2-2 with Central Coast in a dramatic F3 Derby.

Goals from Lachie Rose and Mark Natta in the 59th and 87th minute were enough to ensure the Jets walked away with a point at Industree Group Stadium on Saturday.

The comeback turned the game on its head after Central Coast managed to take a 2-0 lead following goals either side of halftime and leaves the Mariners in ninth on the ladder, four points outside the top six.

Mark Natta of the Jets. Photo: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images.

Sydney’s stunning upset marks Sky Blue resurgence

If inconsistency were an art form, Sydney FC would be Leonardo Da Vinci.

After back-to-back losses to cellar dwellers Brisbane and the out-of-form Melbourne Victory, the Sky Blues claimed one of the biggest scalps of the A-League Men’s season on Saturday night by knocking off Adelaide United 4-1 at Allianz Stadium.

The visiting Reds had won their last six away games, however, this record was shattered by a committed Sydney side, who moved into fifth place on the ladder following the upset win.

Once again, Joe Lolley proved the hero for Sydney, scoring one goal and setting up another. However, he was well supported by attackers Anthony Caceres and Patryk Klimala, who grabbed a goal each.

“Overall, [I’m] very pleased with the performance,” Sydney coach Ufuk Talay said post-match.

“I think we started the game well, we gave them a couple of moments in transition [but] I think [goalkeeper] Harrison [Devonish Meares] made some very important saves.

“Second half, I thought we were good.

Joe Lolley celebrates a goal. Photo: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images.

“We created the moments and I think we scored some very good goals.”

Lolley gave Sydney the lead after 36 minutes when he started and finished a beautiful attacking movement. After releasing Caceres down the right flank, the Englishman made a beeline for the Adelaide box and was on the spot to score after Klimala calmly backheeled Caceres’ cross right back into his feet. Lolley would return the favour less than a minute into the second half when he squared a ball to Klimala, who promptly grabbed Sydney’s second.

Adelaide managed to peg one back in the 48th minute when Zach Clough’s marauding run allowed Dylan Pierias to score from a tight angle. However, late goals to Adrian Segecic (75th minute) and Caceres (83rd), helped the home side seal a confidence-boosting ahead of next weekend’s derby against the Western Sydney Wanderers.

“I just don’t think our focus was fully there today,” Adelaide coach Carl Veart lamented.

“We had some really good opportunities to score goals and our quality in our final delivery just wasn’t there.

“And our work rate off the ball wasn’t where it has been all season.”

SYDNEY’S WISH IS GRANTED

After leaking goals for most of the season and selling Socceroos centre-back Hayden Matthews to Portsmouth, Sydney was desperate to sign an experienced defender during the transfer window – and they finally have one with veteran Alex Grant unveiled to the fans at half-time. Grant, 31, had been plying his trade with Chinese Super League side Tianjin Jinmen, but has decided to return to the A-League, where he made his name with Perth between 2015 and 2020.

“[This is a] fantastic opportunity for me,” Grant told Paramount +.

“I’m really looking forward to getting going.

“I’ve had a few sniffs here and there, but I want to be here with Sydney FC.

“We’ve only just been in pre-season [in China] over the last month or so. I have got a lack of game time, so it will probably take me a couple of weeks just to build that fitness up.”

COSTA RETURNS

After missing the past six games with a hamstring injury, Sydney’s marquee signing finally returned to the field on Saturday.

“I wanted to put him on the park and get him a feel for the game environment again,” Talay said.

“I told him not to sprint, even though he did sprint in those last moments.

“He’s trending well, we’re still building him up with minutes. Hopefully we can give him some more minutes next weekend.”

Late goal seals win for Auckland over Macarthur

– Tom Boswell

A second-half header from Louis Verstraete has sealed a 2-1 win for Auckland FC over Macarthur FC in Round 17 of the A-League at Go Media Stadium.

A pinpoint cross from Filip Kurto curled beyond the Bulls defenders and found Verstraete who headed it beyond Macarthur keeper Filip Kurto at the back post in the 80th minute.

It followed an opening half where Neyder Moreno initially put Auckland in front at home in the ninth minute before Macarthur levelled via Jake Hollman in the 19th minute.

The club’s 10th win of the season has put Auckland five-points clear at the top of the ladder.

Louis Verstraete of Auckland FC celebrates after scoring a goal during the round 17 A-League Men match between Auckland FC and Macarthur FC at Go Media Stadium, on February 01, 2025, in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

A-League: Crucial Wanderers win comes at a massive cost

– Marco Monteverde

Western Sydney Wanderers’ 1-0 win over A-League cellar-dwellers Brisbane Roar has come at a cost, with Spanish star Juan Mata limping off early with a hamstring injury.

Mata, 36, lasted only 11 minutes at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night before being forced off with an injury that must have the former Manchester United and Chelsea midfielder in doubt for next Saturday’s derby against Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium.

“We were agonising over it a little bit, but it’s probably better to be precautionary at this stage,” Wanderers coach Alen Stajcic told Paramount Plus.

“He felt it early … it might be a one or two-week (injury).”

While Mata’s time on the park was short, he had enough to make a telling contribution with a well-placed eighth-minute corner that was headed home by Bulgarian attacking midfielder Bozhidar Kraev.

Wanderers star Juan Mata suffered a hamstring injury in their win over the Brisbane Roar. Picture: Getty Images

The win was a relief for a Wanderers side that had gone into the contest desperate to avoid a third successive defeat.

For the Roar – who went into the match on the back of their first win of the season, a 4-3 away victory over Sydney FC – the defeat continued the club’s miserable home record, which has now extended to a ninth straight loss.

The loss also spoiled Brisbane veteran’s Scott Neville’s 300th and final A-League appearance, with the former Wanderers defender having announced on Thursday that he was retiring after the match.

Roar captain Jay O’Shea, while disappointed with his team’s performance he described as “just not good enough”, paid tribute to Neville.

“He’s one of the best professionals I’ve ever worked with,” O’Shea said.

In a match played in steamy conditions and on a pitch affected by two recent music concerts, the Wanderers had a host of other first-half chances, with Brisbane needing good saves from goalkeeper Macklin Freke to deny Western Sydney trio Zac Sapsford, Brandon Borrello and the returning Gabriel Cleur.

The win was a relief for the Wanderers, who avoided a third straight defeat to keep their finals hopes alive. Picture: Getty Images

Borrello did have the ball in the back of the net in the 39th minute via a shot that deflected off Roar defender Hosine Bility.

However, Borrello was ruled to have fouled Brisbane’s other centre-back Lucas Herrington before shooting, dashing the Wanderers’ hopes of doubling their leads before halftime.

The Wanderers were again left frustrated after again thinking they had scored a second goal, this time in the 72nd minute, through attacker Nicolas Milanovic.

However, VAR intervention came to the Roar’s aid, with Sapsford correctly ruled to be off-side before laying the ball into Milanovic’s path.

But in the end a second goal wasn’t needed.

“They’re a hard team to play, especially at home, so credit to the boys, and we kept a clean sheet,” Milanovic said.

“There’s a big game next week and it’s important that we got a win this week.”

CLEARANCE FARCE DELAYS DEBUT

Brisbane’s hopes of giving new signing Nathan Amanatidis his Roar debut were dashed, with his clearance from his former club Sydney FC arriving too late to allow the 19-year-old winger to be named in Brisbane’s match-day squad.

It was a blight on both the Roar and Sydney that Amanatidis wasn’t cleared in time for the game considering the teenager signed with the Queensland club – which didn’t play last weekend – more than a week ago.

Originally published as A-League: Melbourne Victory move into third with win over Perth Glory