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| Eli Babalj celebrates scoring the winner Picture: George SalpigtidisHerald Sun |
Courtesy of Goal! Weekly
Eli Babalj has netted the only goal in Melbourne Heart’s 1-0 defeat over a very young Gold Coast United side.
Babalj who started on the bench tapped home the winner on 79 minutes after Josh Brilliante gave away the ball. This win is Heart’s first in nine games.
After Melbourne Heart’s 3-0 defeat to Newcastle Jets coach John van ‘t Schip made three changes. Babalj, Curtis Good and Paul Reid all made way for David Williams, Brendan Hamill and captain Fred.
Chris O’Connor, the suspended Michael Thwaite, Jonas Sally, Daniel Bragg and Maceo Rigters all made way for the Gold Coast. Youngster Mitch Cooper comes in for his A-League debut and will wear the Captain’s Armband. Jake Barker-Daish also comes in for his debut. Brilliante, Chris Harold and Jerrad Tyson also come in for United from the Coast.
The youngsters of Gold Coast looked lively early on with Ben Halloran pushing down the right wing. The 19-year-old crossed for Harold but the forward’s shot was blocked by Jonatan Germano.
Heart held most of the possession in the early parts of the game and Craig Goodwin could have opened the scoring but his deflected effort as comfortably saved by Tyson.
In the space of two minutes Heart had two chances. First with Goodwin’s volley but Zac Anderson unknowingly blocked the young fullback’s effort.
Next Germano rose inside the box but Tyson again saved easily from the Argentine.
Heart’s flurry of chances continued with Golgol Mebrahtu and Kristian Rees both getting confused with a long ball and both missed the header. The ball then fell for Fred whose volley was appalling.
With five minutes before the break Williams went agonisingly close when he cut from the left and shot but his effort was deflected wide.
In the first minutes of the second stanza Harold crossed a great ball which Halloran missed but as the ball fell for Mebrahtu the Eritrean born winger miss-kicked his effort.
Halloran cut in from the right and tested Clint Bolton but the ‘keeper, in his 50th Heart game denied the winger.
On 56 minutes Babalj came on for Alex Terra and only one minute later the Bosnian born forward had a great chance however Babalj’s left foot effort was saved at the ground by Tyson.
Fred almost scored an accidental goal on 64 minutes as his cross-come-shot lobbed Tyson but the young ‘keeper tipped over.
One minute later Adama Traore kept it scoreless with a goal-line clearing header after Simon Colosimo’s header was destined for goal.
Babalj was looking very dangerous and on 77 minutes he touched, turned and shot at Tyson’s goal but the attempt just missed the upright.
Two minutes later Brilliante gave the ball to Williams who passed to Fred. The Brazilian crossed to the back post where Matt Thompson touched for Babalj to tap home and open the scoring.
Heart managed to hold on for the win with Gold Coast really failing to test Bolton during the 90 minutes.
Melbourne Heart coach John van ‘t Schip was delighted to get the three points that was needed. “Well I think the three points of course; everybody knows is the most important in these last few games. It’s about collecting points and coming from that eight games not winning then of course that is the first thing everybody is happy about. The performance I think was not that bad at all seeing the attention that was on this game and that we had to deal with that knowing that everybody expected us to win with Gold Coast having a few younger players in the team. ”
Gold Coast United Assistant Coach Mike Mulvey who was in for the suspended Miron Bleiberg thought his side put in a respectable performance. “It was a respectable performance. We came here with the hope of putting on a good performance and I think we are leaving with a lot. We have got some performances out of players that will have done them some good stead for the future.”
“In the end of the day we lost the game trying to play football the right way.”
“We gave a good account for ourselves and we will take away a lot from this game,” Mulvey told the media.
Match details
Friday, 17 February 2012
Melbourne Heart 1 (Eli Babablj 80’) Gold Coast United 0
Venue: AAMI Park
Local kick-off: 8:00pm
Referee: Alan Milliner
Assistant referees: Shaun Evans & George Lackrindis
Fourth official: Lucian Laverdure
Attendance: 4.972
Melbourne Heart:
1.Clint Bolton, 2.Michael Marrone, 3.Brendan Hamill, 4.Simon Colosimo, 5.Fred, 7.Rutger Worm, 9.Maycon, 10.Wayne Srhoj, (6.Matt Thompson 71’), 11.Alex Terra (19.Eli Babalj 56’), 13.Jonatan Germano (26.Paul Reid 46’), 15.David Williams, 27.Craig Goodwin.
Unused substitutes: 30.Sebastian Mattei
Yellow cards: Brendan Hamill 5’; Michael Marrone 45+1’; Paul Reid 67’
Red cards: Nil
Gold Coast United:
20.Jerrad Tyson, 2.Josh Brillante, 4.Zac Anderson, 5.Kristian Rees, 7.Golgol Mebrahtu, 11.Jake Barker-Daish (21.Daniel Severino 84’), 14.Ben Halloran, 15.Adama Traore, 17.Chris Harold, 28.Daniel Bowles, 33.Mitch Cooper
Unused substitutes: 30.Brendan White, 26.Ambes Yosief, 31 Daniel Bragg
Yellow cards: Daniel Bowles 25’; Ben Halloran 75’ Chris Harold 84’
Red cards: Nil
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