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| Melbourne Knights Photo: Melbourne Knights |
Melbourne Knights have got off the mark with their first win
of the season with a 3-0 defeat of ten man Moreland Zebras at Epping Stadium on
Sunday afternoon.
After a pretty even first-half Knights took the lead through
Skipper Josip Kozic from the penalty spot after Ersin Kaya was sent off.
Knights dominated for the second-half and deservedly tripled
the lead thanks to late goals to Yusuf and Louis Fenton on debut.
Moreland Zebras were looking strong in the early minutes and
Vincent Faherty had the first chance of the game between two sides that had
lost in the first round, but the Irishman fired just wide.
Steven Weir for the hosts was looking sharp and ran onto a
great through ball but Knights ‘keeper Aaron Romein made a fantastic one-handed
save.
If Moreland were going to score if would likely come from set
pieces and as Faherty flicked his header wide before Weir tried his chances
from 20 yards but sliced his effort wide.
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| Carl Recchia (L), Joe Mirabella (C) and Daniel Vasilevski (R) |
Knights started to get into the game with a hold of the
possession and Adam Zilic had their best chance but headed over Kozic’s cross.
That chance spurred on the visitors and Jacob Colosimo
cutback to Brother Anthony but the wide man blazed the golden chance over the
crossbar.
Soon after Jacob Colosimo was found just outside the box but
on the turn the young forward struck his effort directly at Zebras ‘keeper
Griffin McMaster.
Just before the break former AIS product Kaya made a
last-ditched tackle to save a goal scoring chance from Yusuf.
The game was changed
on 57 minutes when Kaya fouled Jacob Colosimo inside the box and was subsequently
given a straight red card for being the last man. However the fullback did look
like he did get some of the ball.
Kozic stepped up and sent McMaster the wrong way to opened
the scoring.
Former South forward Weir had a good opportunity to level
the game from a set-piece but the number eleven’s curling free-kick agonisingly
missed Romein’s goal.
On 78 minutes Knights doubled the lead through Yusuf who
scrambled home the ball after Jacob Colosimo was denied by McMaster.
Zebras struggled to contain possession and string together a
few passes whereas Knights comfortably held possession and pushed forward
looking for a third.
On 83 minutes Jake Nakic, who recently joined from the
Melbourne Victory Youth side came on for goal scorer Yusuf and should have
scored with his first touch but fired just wide.
On the edge of stoppage-time Jacob Colosimo was denied once
again by a brilliant low save by McMaster.
Nakic could have scored a hat-trick in the last ten minutes but
once again the 2011 VPL Goalkeeper of the Year dived high into the top corner
to deny the attacking midfielder before saving at the near post from a good
header.
In stoppage time Louis Fenton finished it off for the
visitors with a tap in after Carl Recchia missed a clearance before Jacob
Colosimo cutback to the New Zealander on debut.
Moreland Zebras: 1. Griffin McMASTER, 2. Chris GROSSMAN (13.
Brandon DEFINA 69’), 3. Raymond LALLY, 4. William ABBOT, 7. Stuart NICHOLSON,
8. Carl RECCHIA, 9. Vincent FAHERTY, 11. Steven WEIR (19. Jakob IHNATISIN 69’),
12. Reardo LUKA, 14. Jungho KIM (10. Daniel VASILEVSKI 46’), 15. Ersin KAYA.
UNUSED SUBS: 21. Phil PETROVSKI (GK), 6. James PAPADIMITRIOU.
Red Card: Kaya (57’)
Melbourne Knights: 1. Aaron ROMEIN, 2. Hrvoje SIBENIK, 4.
Adam ZILIC, 5. David KUSTURA, 6. Tomislav USKOK, 8. Craig SWEENEY (17. Joseph
FRANJIC 76’), 9. Jacob COLOSIMO, 10. Josip KOZIC, 11. Anthony COLOSIMO, 16.
Marijan CVITKOVIC (15. Louis FENTON 67’), 19. Yusuf YUSUF (23. Jake NAKIC 83’).
USUSED SUBS: 7. Shaun ROMEIN, 21. Matthew HRASTOV (GK)
Goals: Kozic (59’ pen), Yusuf (78’), Fenton (90+2’)
Yellow Cards: Sweeney (22’)
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