A Juan Mata midfield masterclass has led Melbourne Victory to a drought breaking 2-1 win over Adelaide United at AAMI Park.
Victory came into the game with a four game goalless streak hanging over their heads but left with all three points thanks to Greek striker Nikos Vergos, who broke his own personal 14 game drought.
But it was Mata who was the architect of Victory’s victory, with his assist for Vergos’s second goal the highlight amongst a performance of quality and skill rarely seen in the A-League.
Victory dominated the game from the early exchanges, with Vergos’s 23rd minute conversion of a slide rule ball across the face of goal just reward for their dominance of general play.
When Mata hit the bar and then followed up with a header that was cleared off the line after the half hour mark, it looked like it could be another performance that undershot Victory’s level of general play in terms of scoring.
But Vergos scored again within a minute of the restart, with Mata’s brilliant assist the centrepiece of an incredible display.
Dylan Pierias raised Melbourne Victory heat rates with a quality finish to make the score 2-1 in the 86th minute, and then caused further palpitations when he looped a header onto the bar in stoppage time.
But ultimately the Victory held on and relieved the building pressure on head coach Arthur Diles with a well-deserved and long-desired 2-1 win.
