CITY GLEE FOR DERBY
KRUSE INJURY WORSENS NIGHT
MELBOURNE City has claimed derby bragging rights and struck a hammer blow to Melbourne Victory’s finals hopes in the process with a 2-1 win at AAMI Park.
Florin Berenguer handed City the lead after only eight minutes, then delivered a delightful assist for Jamie Maclaren in the 71st minute, before Ola Toivonen responded with a 78th-minute free kick.
City consolidated its hold on second place, while Victory will remain at least five points outside the top six — and also saw star winger Robbie Kruse limp off late.
The teams made a number of changes.
Tim Hoogland slotted into Victory’s back three, and coach Carlos Salvachua opted to start attackers Marco Rojas and Kruse on the bench.
City reverted to a back four, while Tom Glover replaced Dean Bouzanis (personal reasons) in goal.
It took only minutes for City to open the scoring.
Latching onto a long ball, Adrian Luna flicked a header past Ben Carrigan and followed up his work to find Berenguer, who powered a shot past Lawrence Thomas.
Victory came close to equalising from an indirect free kick in the 30th minute, when Glover was penalised for handling the ball from a back pass.
Toivonen powered the ball to the near post where a sliding Hoogland tried to toe-poke home, but the ball hit the post and fortuitously bounced into Glover.
Salvachua summoned Kruse and Rojas in the 55th minute, to rapturous applause — but it would be City who broke through.
Craig Noone slipped a pass to Berenguer, who cleverly backheeled for Maclaren to smack the ball into the roof of the net.
Victory responded seven minutes later when Toivonen stepped up to take a free kick when Rojas was brought down outside the area.
Toivonen looked set to be denied by Glover, but the City keeper fumbled a relatively straightforward stop into his own net.
Victory were unable to find an equaliser, and Kruse headed gingerly down the tunnel in the 84th minute to further sour the night.