| PHOTO: Jim Webster |
In Round 13 of the National Youth League (NYL) there were wins for the Victory, the Roar and the Wanderers, while Perth’s resurgence continued and the Mariners got back on track.
The Brisbane Roar defeated the Newcastle Jets 3-2 in a mid-table clash at Goodwin Park on Saturday.
Patrick Theodore opened the scoring with a fine individual goal powering through the Jets defence, before rounding Newcastle ‘keeper Jack Duncan and slotting into an open net.
The Jets, however, through Bobby Russell equalized from a Kale Bradbery cutback.
But the Roar regained their lead four minutes after conceding as Alex Schiavo thumped home after the Jets failed to clear a corner.
Joe Franze secured the important three points firing home at the back post, after arriving late from Nick Fitzgerald’s cross.
Marko Jesic then added a late consolidation for the Jets with a minute left, but a consolidation was all it was.
The Western Sydney Wanderers were too good for the Melbourne Heart with a 2-1 win at Epping Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
All three goals were scored in the first-half as each side hit the back of the net with a penalty apiece.
Western Sydney Captain Yianni Perkatis hit the opener on ten minutes after the impressive Nicholas Olsen was brought down in the box.
Dylan Macallister sent Aaron Liddell the wrong way with the equalizer after Stefan Mauk was bumped over, before Daniel Barac gave the Wanderers the lead just before the break with a lovely finish after running on the end of a brilliant Jacob Williams ball.
After their smashing last weekend at the hands of the Victory, the Central Coast Mariners beat the AIS 2-1 on Sunday at the Glen Willow Regional Sports Stadium in Mudgee.
Daniel Bragg got the Mariners off to a great start with a perfectly taken free kick on 16 minutes, but two minutes before the break Marc Marino finished off a nice team move to equalize for the Institute.
But the Central Coast came out of the blocks in the second-half and through Louis Bozanic slotted the winning goal.
Meanwhile in Sydney, the Melbourne Victory eased past Sydney FC with a 3-1 win at Cromer Park.
A pacey Connor Pain run and cross set up Chris Cristaldo to comfortably open the scoring on just 15 minutes.
But the Sky Blues leveled the encounter five minutes later as Tom Slater, the son of former Socceroo Robbie, slotted past Victory ‘keeper Phil Petrovski.
Aaron Calver, fresh off making three A-League apperances after recently turning seventeen, brought down Pain in the box on 33 minutes, which resulted in a penalty for the visitors.
Theo Markelis stepped up emphatically giving the Victory the lead with a drilled finish into the bottom corner.
Substitute Hernan Espindola then secured the victory simply tapping in, after John Buceto was denied by Sydney ‘keeper Anthony Bouzanis.
Perth were involved with plenty of goals again as the Glory beat Adelaide United 5-2 at Intiga Stadium on Sunday evening.
After defeating Newcastle 6-4 away from home the Glory started off very well with Chris Harold converting Adrian Zahra’s neat cross on just 12 minutes.
Zahra was involved in Perth’s next goal too finding Japanese winger Ryo Nagai to simply finish shortly after the break, before Riley Woodcock drilled the third in after 51 minutes.
Jacob Melling cut the deficit to two as the midfielder fired in from the edge of the box just after the hour, before Dion Kirk made it 3-2 with eight minutes left.
The Glory, however, were strong enough to see out the result after late strikes from Ndumba Makeche and Borbor Sam.
