Goal drought breaks Heart

An under strength Melbourne Heart were unlucky to come away with only a point as their match ended 0-0 against draw specialists Gold Coast United at AAMI Park on Saturday night.

As has been the story for most A-League teams this season, the lack of a finishing touch in the last third cost the Heart a victory after shading the play for most of the match.

Rutger Worm had the best opportunities to win it for the Heart but failed to capitalise on the several good chances presented to the flying Dutchman.

Both side’s midfield showed their class with some fantastic passing and free flowing football on the carpet-like surface of AAMI Park.

Dino Djulbic was outstanding in defence for Gold Coast while John Curtis cemented his status as a student from Manchester’s school of hard knocks with some bruising challenges.

The attacking attempts ebbed and flowed for both sides with nice changes of tempo and switches of play testing the respective defences.

The Heart edged the Gold Coast on play in the first half enjoying more of the possession and chances in front of goal.

After a few shots in anger from the Heart, Josip Skoko forced a great save from a fully stretched Glen Moss after eight minutes with the first real goal bound drive of the match.

The return of Joel Porter made a difference to Gold Coast’s attack as he provided more fluency to the side involved in a match of attrition against Adelaide United the week before.

Worm had a golden chance to give Heart the lead just before half time, after Djulbic floated a poor defensive header into his path, but was unable to produce a clinical finish.

The second half was much the same as the first with the Heart dominating possession and creating the better chances in front of goal.

Gold Coast had Moss to thank after he made an outstanding one on one save in the 60th minute from promising Heart youngster, Eli Babalj.

Gaps began to appear in the middle of the park as the sides tired, though neither was able to convert possession and good attacking positions into goals.

Aziz Behich proved his worth by stamping his authority on the match with some strong defending and marauding runs forward for the Heart.

Both defences were resolute and proved impossible to break down as the match finished scoreless.

The Heart would have run out clear victors had the match been played in the old school boy days as they amounted 11 corners to Gold Coast’s nil.

At the expense of sounding like a record on repeat, the match again proved how much fans and A-League clubs are yearning for bona-fide, talismanic goal scorers.


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