Injury-hit Melbourne City have pulled off a superb 2-0 win over Western United in a fiery derby that moves them into second on the A-League Men table.
Missing eight first-choice players due to injury, City dominated their Victorian rivals at AAMI Park on Tuesday night to make it through a sixth-straight match unbeaten.
Tensions boiled over multiple times with United coach John Aloisi given a yellow card in the final minutes after his players were furious about a tackle from City’s Ben Dubar.
Harry Politidis, who only scored his first A-League goal four days earlier, broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute after capitalising on a corner from 17-year-old debutant Lawrence Wong.
City’s hard work and persistence was truly rewarded when Ben Mazzeo slotted an excellent shot from a difficult angle in the 59th minute to get past United goalkeeper Matthew Sutton.
They were denied a third goal in the 82nd minute following a late offside call.
Coming off a rousing 3-2 win in Perth on Friday night, the comedown of that performance and the travel to and from Western Australia seemed to leave United flat and uninspired in attack.
Aloisi’s team managed just one shot on target as they failed to complete a club-record fifth-straight win.
The hero from United’s triumph against the Glory, Jordan Lauton had to sit out this clash after earning a second yellow card following his spectacular matchwinner.
City’s injury crisis threatened to escalate further after captain Aziz Behich and star Nathaniel Atkinson both had extended periods in pain on the turf.
But Wong’s impressive debut ended in the 49th minute when he was subbed out with what appeared to be cramp.
Andreas Kuen was injured against Wellington on Friday, joining Yonatan Cohen, Mat Leckie, Marco Tilio, Andrew Nabbout, Max Caputo, Alessandro Lopane and Jimmy Jeggo on the sidelines.
City will be back in action on Saturday when they host cellar-dwellers Brisbane, while United have another derby on Friday night when they take on Melbourne Victory.
https://thewest.com.au/sport/soccer/city-move-to-second-after-2-0-derby-win-over-united-c-17314434