Victory a Heart breaker
A MOMENT of madness from Patrick Kisnorbo has handed Melbourne Victory an A-League derby win on a platter, Kevin Muscat’s side comfortably accounting for the Heart 3-1 at AAMI Park last night.
Mitch Nichols’ brace and a James Troisi goal sealed the result for Victory before a Nicholas Kalmar header softened the scoreline.
But it was Kisnorbo’s 20thminute red card that transformed a potentially tight contest into a Victory walkover. Despite starting best in a scrappy opening — Michael Mifsud twice missed chances while through on goal — Heart were reduced to ten men when Kisnorbo’s studs-up lunge at Connor Pain missed the ball and found his shin.
The tackle was as reckless as it was unnecessary — while Pain had passed three Victory players, Kisnorbo had good position on the Victory striker and a standing tackle would have sufficed.
Victory had barely threatened to this point and could have been behind when Harry Kewell picked out an unmarked David Williams.
The resistance coming to an end, Heart keeper Andrew Redmayne could have claimed an assist on Nichols’ opener. A thoughtless clear- MELBOURNE HEART 1
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