Five-Star Victory dismantle young Jets

Melbourne Victory has bounced back from last week’s thrashing at the hands of Central Coast by dismantling a young Newcastle Jets side 5-0 at AAMI Park.

Two goals apiece from Marco Rojas and Mark Milligan and an Adrian Leijer header ensured last week’s loss was well and truly behind them.

It took the home side eight minutes to break the dead lock as the deadly pairing of Archie Thompson and Rojas was at it again. The experienced Socceroo sent it a great through ball to the Kiwi International who had tons of space in front of him as he neatly sent it past the on rushing Mark Birighitti. 

The goal didn’t seem to wake up the Jets as an unmarked Adrian Leijer headed the ball into the back of the net from a Marco Rojas corner. Shortly after, the home side found a third, the same scenario as the second only this time Daniel Mullen’s header was disallowed after Ruben Zadkovich was deemed to have been fouled by Mark Milligan.

With the game reaching the half-hour mark, Victory pushed forward in search of a third, and was given an opportunity from the penalty spot after a clumsy tackle by Taylor Regan on Thompson. After scoring from the spot last week, Milligan stepped up and slotted his penalty straight down the middle. 

The second half did not bring many positives for Van Egmond’s side as Regan conceded another penalty and was given his marching orders after fifty-seven minutes. Milligan stepped up and beat Birighitti yet again with a thumping penalty.

Marco Rojas all but put the icing on the cake after a brilliant first touch before rounding Birighitti and tapping into an empty net.

The win sends Victory back up to third, eight points behind leaders Western Sydney, while the loss leaves the Jets in fifth place, three points ahead of the finals chasing Melbourne Heart. 

MV – Nathan COE,  Adama TRAORE, Adrian LEIJER, Scott GALLOWAY, Daniel MULLEN,  Leigh BROXHAM, Mark MILLIGAN, Billy CELESKI (Spase DILEVSKI 58^th min), Marco ROJAS, Archie THOMPSON (Francesco STELLA 58^th min), Connor PAIN (Andrew NABBOUT 78^th min).

NJ – Mark Birighitti, Scott NEVILLE, Dominik RITTER, Taylor REGAN, Andrew HOOLE, Ruben ZADKOVICH, Joshua BRILLANTE (Connor CHAPMAN 76^th min), Mitch COOPER (Jacob PEPPER 70^th min), Craig GOODWIN (Bernardo RIBEIRO 85^th min), Marko JESIC, Adam TAGGART.