The Newcastle Jets have been defeated 5-0 by Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park on Sunday evening.
The Newcastle Jets have suffered a disappointing 5-0 defeat to Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park on Sunday evening.
The Victory opened the scoring in the 7th minute when the Jets were caught short at the back by a swift counter-attack.
Archie Thompson won the ball inside his own half and played Marco Rojas into space. With only Birighitti to beat the Kiwi international finished calmly into the bottom corner.
The Victory doubled their advantage in the 15th minute when Adrian Leijer capitalised on some slack marking at a corner and powerfully headed the ball into the back of the net.
Daniel Mullen looked to have made it 3-0 a short time later when nodded home from another corner, but goal was disallowed for a foul by Mark Milligan on Ruben Zadkovich in the lead-up.
The Jets had a couple of half-chances to get a goal back midway through first half, the first of which came when Adam Taggart was inches away from getting on the end of a Mark Jesic shot which flashed across the face of goal.
Taggart went close again a short time later when he hit a first time volley over the crossbar following a pass from Craig Goodwin.
However, it was the home side that were next to find the back of the net in the 30th minute when Taylor Regan brought down Archie Thompson in the box.
Mark Milligan stepped-up to take the spot-kick and comfortably slotted the ball past Birighitti Victory ahead 3-0.
Despite the lopsided scoreline, the Jets continued to try and find their way back into the math with Jesic hitting the side-netting with a left-footed shot from outside the area and Andrew Hoole forcing a diving save out of Nathan Coe.
The Jets continued to go on the attack after the half-time interval with Taggart forcing Coe into action with a stinging drive from the top of the box.
However, the Jets- slim hopes of a comeback were dashed in the 56th minute when Regan was adjudged to have brought down Adrian Leijer in the box.
Regan was presented with his second yellow card to reduce the Jets to ten men and Milligan once again converted from the penalty spot to make it 4-0.
Rojas rubbed salt into the Jets- wounds in the 65th minute, when he showed quick feet inside the penalty box to beat a pair of Jets defenders and dribble around Birighitti and finish into an empty net.
Melbourne Victory 5 (Rojas 8′ 66′, Leijer 15′, Milligan 30′ 57′)
Newcastle Jets 0
