Melbourne City’s Y-League side will be looking to keep their momentum going this Saturday when they look to make it two wins on the bounce against Melbourne Victory in the Y-League Melbourne Derby.
City shrugged off the disappointment of a 2-0 season-opening defeat against Brisbane Roar in round two of the campaign to record a 3-0 win over the youth of Perth Glory last week.
Moudi Najjar struck in the 19th minute to open the scoring; running onto a ball threaded in behind the Glory defence my Josh Cavallo before powering a low shot into the back of the net.
Pierias – who on another day could easily have had three or even four goals to his name – then made it 2-0 in the 86th minute when he got on the end of a ball from Idrus Abdulahi and found the goal.
An own goal from Glory’s Jacob Leader in the 90th minute then put a bow on the City win, confirming that they would make the trip back from West Australia with three points in tow.
With road trips to Brisbane and Perth now complete, City will settle in for an extended stay within Victoria – not scheduled to leave the state until the final week of the season, when they travel to Adelaide.
This run of five straight games in Victoria will commence against old foes Melbourne Victory at CB Smith Reserve this Sunday; the darker-hued side from Melbourne heading into the contest looking to secure their first win of the season after a week one defeat at the hands of Adelaide, a round two draw with Perth Glory and a round three bye.
Victory was forced to come from behind in their last hitout against Glory after Trent Ostler put the side in purple ahead in the 27th minute with a 25-yard blast.
Though they would bounce back to control the fixture subsequent to Ostler’s effort, Gareth Naven’s Victory was unable to find anything beyond an equaliser; substitute Jack Palazzolo getting to the byline in the 71st minute and cutting a cross back for Yazid Said scuff over the line.
City and Victory’s Y-League sides – who finished first and second on the Conference A table respectively – met twice during the 2017/18 Y-League campaign, splitting the season series at a win apiece.
City recorded a dominating 9-2 win over Victory at Lakeside Stadium in round three of the season – in what was Daniel Arzani’s last game with the youth side before making the full-time switch to the seniors – while Victory won the return leg – against a City side that had already punched their ticket to the Y-League Grand Final – 2-1 in round nine.
The Y-League Melbourne Derby will kick off at 4:30 pm and serve as the first leg of a blockbuster doubleheader at CB Smith Reserve this Saturday, with a meeting between Melbourne City and Adelaide United’s W-League sides to follow at 7:30 pm.
Match Details:
Foxtel Y-League Round 4
Saturday, 1 December 2018
Melbourne City FC v Melbourne Victory FC
Venue: C.B Smith Reserve, Fawkner, Melbourne, Victoria
Kick-off: 4:30 pm
