Melbourne Victory have added another win to their ledger, surviving a late charge from Adelaide United to win 2-1.
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Final score
Melbourne Victory 2
Adelaide United 1
Melbourne Victory will start strong favourites against an Adelaide United team still with a mathematical chance of making the A-League finals. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:50pm (AEDT).
A commanding 3-nil win over the Central Coast Mariners away from home leaves the Victory well entrenched inside the top two.
Crucially, they remain in the box seat to secure a home preliminary final – a priceless advantage in big games.
However, Melbourne can ill-afford to look too far ahead when they take on an Adelaide team coming off a good win over the Newcastle Jets last week.
Despite playing poorly once again in the Asian Champions League, Adelaide are still in with a shot of making the A-League finals, provided they win all their remaining games starting tonight.
On form though, the Victory possess an important advantage and are difficult to tip against at home. They are enjoying a good spell under coach Kevin Muscat and should be primed for another strong showing in front of their home fans.
Statistics reveal a sobering picture for Adelaide fans. Besart Berisha alone has scored just as many goals as the Reds have all season. Established stars such as Marcelo Carrusca have been unable to rediscover the spark that led Adelaide to a well-deserved maiden title last season, and it looks highly unlikely that things will turn around here for the Argentine and his team.
Melbourne meanwhile have had no such trouble scoring goals, and with Marco Rojas in devastating touch, Adelaide will have a hard time limiting the potency of a Victory outfit that invariably carves up the opposition at home.
Indeed, only hubris can get the better of Melbourne tonight. The pressure is on to catch Sydney FC with another Big Blue match-up just around the corner and the Victory may be a little guilty of looking ahead to that contest rather than focusing on the task at hand. This may provide Adelaide with a small window of opportunity to strike.
Prediction
With simply too much to play for, Melbourne should get the job done against a competitive Adelaide.
Melbourne 3-1
Alan
Roar Guru
Victory secure a deserved win but Adelaide did push the hosts all the way late on and Melbourne had to endure some nervous moments at the end. Now, Melbourne will play Sydney in a blockbuster match-up that could very well serve as an A-League GF preview. Adelaide had their chances but once again they lack the clinical edge required to beat the top sides. Victory 2 Adelaide 1
Alan
Roar Guru
FULLTIME Victory 2 Adelaide 1
Alan
Roar Guru
94' - Melbourne now feeling a little nervous. Thomas punches the freekick away. Victory finishing unconvincingly here. Elrich has been good tonight for Adelaide. Calls for handball here in the area! Play on.. Victory 2 Adelaide 1
Alan
Roar Guru
Victory fail to clear their lines as a through ball is played in for Elrich who finishes superbly! Terrific first time strike inside the area finds the top corner. Can Adelaide shake things up with three minutes remaining?? Victory 2 Adelaide 1
Alan
Roar Guru
89' - Melbourne just playing out the minutes now. Three points in the bag. It looks increasingly likely that the GF will be between Sydney and Melbourne Victory unless teams like Brisbane, Perth and City start playing at their best. Elrich has scored! GOAL ADELAIDE Victory 2 Adelaide 1
Alan
Roar Guru
CHANCE VICTORY Rojas now plays in Austin whose first time shot is well wide. Keeper rushed out well to make the chance more difficult. Victory 2 Adelaide 0
Alan
Roar Guru
86' - Adelaide toiled hard and probably should have taken the lead through Cirio early in the first half. Since then though, the Victory have, over time, proven their class. Rojas, Troisi and Berisha once again leading the way. Rojas though is the key man here. If he gets injured..... Victory 2 Adelaide 0
Alan
Roar Guru
Advantage well played and Berisha in the area sums up the situation well and, with the outside of right foot, shoots and beats the keeper and finds the left hand corner! Superb! Victory now 13 points ahead of City and Brisbane in second position. Home preliminary final secured surely... Victory 2 Adelaide 0
Alan
Roar Guru
GOAL VICTORY Victory 2 Adelaide 0
Alan
Roar Guru
81' - Victory still controlling proceedings here. Adelaide can't secure possession. Chasing shadows. Victory 1 Adelaide 0
Alan
Roar Guru
78' - Adelaide whipping in some dangerous crosses of late but no one at the end of them in the area. Victory with space to exploit on the break as Adelaide commit numbers forward. Victory 1 Adelaide 0
Alan
Roar Guru
Great cross into the area for Rojas whose header beats the keeper only for the ball to bounce off the bar. Adelaide on the ropes here. Rojas starting to dictate terms. Victory 1 Adelaide 0
Alan
Roar Guru
72' - Adelaide lacking some ideas playing out from the back. Melbourne in control of this contest now. A second goal from the hosts would kill the game off. Rojas' header off the bar!!!! CHANCE VICTORY Victory 1 Adelaide 0
Alan
Roar Guru
69' - Adelaide in trouble now. They will need to take more risks against one of the more dangerous attacking teams in the A-League. Adelaide with a steep hill to climb now. Victory 1 Adelaide 0
Alan
Roar Guru
Another night and another superb freekick at AAMI Park, this time from Rojas! Great strike finds the left hand corner! He created the chance and he finishes it off with a superb freekick. Rojas is Victory's key to winning the A-League. If he keeps playing well, they will be difficult to beat. Victory 1 Adelaide 0
Alan
Roar Guru
GOAL VICTORY Victory 1 Adelaide 0
Alan
Roar Guru
65' - Rojas goes on a good run that ends with a freekick awarded in a very dangerous position for Victory. Ideal territory for a direct shot at goal.... Victory 0 Adelaide 0
Alan
Roar Guru
62' - Adelaide with another freekick. Dangerous area. Poor delivery though from Carrusca who was going for goal but his effort over the bar. Victory 0 Adelaide 0
Alan
Roar Guru
60' - Margush has been impressive in goal for Adelaide, pulling off some clutch saves to deny Rojas and Berisha. Victory 0 Adelaide 0
Stevo
Roar Rookie
Brilliant one handed reflex save with ball traveling at speed.