Victory finally lives up to name

ENEMY No.1 Besart Berisha came back to haunt Perth Glory yet again as Melbourne Victory notched its first win of the season with a 2-0 away triumph last night.

Victory entered the match last on the table after four draws and two losses from the opening six A-League rounds.

With the scoreline reading 0-0 approaching the hour mark, another winless week beckoned for Victory.

But goals to Berisha and Leroy George broke the game open, with the win catapulting Victory into sixth.

Berisha was the subject of derogatory songs among the Glory supporter area known as “The Shed” at Perth Oval.

But he had the last laugh in front of the 13,565 crowd, tapping home from close range in the 56th minute after a failed clearance attempt from Glory defender Alex Grant.

And when a diving George thrust out his right boot to score in the 67th minute, Victory had the three points.

Glory’s injury crisis, which had claimed Adam Taggart (hamstring), Diego Castro (calf), Scott Neville (groin), and Andreu (calf) over the past fortnight, meant its playing stocks were thin.

So much so coach Kenny Lowe decided to hand a starting debut to 16-year-old Jacob Italiano.

Glory’s only real chance of the first half fell to Italiano, who sent his shot just wide of the target after the ball made it to him at the far post.