Melbourne Heart FC has completed a remarkable comeback to secure a stunning 3-2 win over North Queensland Fury at Dairy Farmers Stadium in Townsville.
Melbourne Heart FC has completed a remarkable comeback to secure a stunning 3-2 win over North Queensland Fury at Dairy Farmers Stadium in Townsville.
After falling behind to a Dyron Daal goal during the first half, Heart bounced back with vengeance, scoring three times in 15 minutes through Eli Babalj, Gerald Sibon and Adrian Zahra to take command of the contest before Fury grabbed a late consolation goal.
Fury burst out of the blocks early, with Chris Payne spurning an early chance, shooting wide as he was unable to capitalise on a fortuitous deflection to shoot wide in the area.
The away side had Michael Beauchamp to thank minutes later as the World Cup Socceroo produced a goal line block to deny Daal as Fury applied the early pressure, placing Heart on the back foot.
But Franz Straka-s side soon earned a deserved lead, albeit in bizarre circumstances as Panagiotis Nikas- free-kick ricocheted off Daal and landed in the back of the net with Heart ‘keeper Clint Bolton wrong footed.
Daal almost had a second on the half hour mark, firing wide after a clever set piece, with Mark Hughes angling a free-kick towards the towering striker at the back post as Fury entered the break with the momentum.
However, Heart emerged from half time reinvigorated, immediately showing its intent as Aziz Behich ventured deep into the opposition half with a series of penetrating runs, while Josip Skoko and Wayne Srhoj asserted control of the midfield.
And after just five minutes, Heart was back on level terms after Babalj applied the finish to a beautiful sweeping move forward.
Rutger Worm played a delightful one-two with Sibon to slice apart the defence before squaring the ball for Babalj, who showed composure beyond his years to slot home his second goal of the campaign.
Sibon made it 2-0 only nine minutes later, showcasing his phenomenal slight of foot to control a bouncing ball in the area before making a deft turn between a pair of Fury defenders and shooting past Justin Pasfield.
Victorian Premier League graduate Adrian Zahra completed Heart-s astonishing 15 minute burst with the side-s third, scoring his first ever professional goal on the break after Srhoj streamed forward before drawing in a defender and cutting back to the teenage winger.
Fury pulled a goal back in the dying minutes of the match as Ufuk Talay converted from the spot after Daal was felled in the area, but it wasn-t enough, as Heart climbed to fifth on the Hyundai A-League table.
