A Dario Vidosic double and a strike from Bruno Fornaroli was enough to lead Melbourne City to their second successive away victory over the Jets this season.
Fornaroli opened the scoring in the first half, before Vidosic struck twice from set-pieces in the second, as the Jets were left to rue a string of missed opportunities.
The match began with a flurry of chances as both the Jets and City showed off their attacking endeavour.
In his first match back from a two-game suspension Roy O’Donovan angled a run down the left edge, cut into the box and just blazed his strike wide. At the other end, Stefan Mauk found space and went within a whisker of opening the scoring for City.
In the 18th minute the Jets were awarded a free-kick within range, and Dimi Petratos curled a cracking effort on goal, which was equally matched by a strong save from City custodian, Dean Bouzanis.
Newcastle were lucky not to go behind a couple of minutes later, when Fornaroli was threaded through on goal, however Jack Duncan did well to block his strike.
Fornaroli would eventually make the Jets pay for scrappy defending after a corner as he thumped in a bobbling ball at the far post.
City led at the break and when play resumed in the second half A-League journeyman, Dario Vidosic doubled City’s advantage in the 53rd minute, when he headed home from a corner.
Ernie Merrick decided the Jets needed a spark and thrust Pato Rodriguez into the action and immediately the nimble Argentine showed his class setting up Steve Ugarkovic for the Jets first real chance of the half.
In the 73rd minute a Rodriguez back heel sent Ivan Vujica down the left flank, and his early cross just flew beyond the outstretched boot of a sliding O’Donovan.
The missed opportunities would come back to bite in the 77th minute when Vidosic struck his free-kick from outside the box sweetly to make it 3-0.
Newcastle wouldn’t go away though as Rodriguez almost grabbed a goal back in the 83rd minute, however his header flashed wide.
In the end the Jets were held scoreless for the first time this campaign as they went down 3-0.
The moments:
2’ | 0 – 0 | CHANCE! Some sloppy work at the back from City that falls to Roy’s advantage, he tries his luck from a tough angle with his strike sailing just wide #NEWvMCY
8’ | 0 – 0 | Lovely work from Kantarovski to open up McGree on the left with a long ball, and some great work from Riley to get into the box – with his strike blocked by the City defence #NEWvMCY
9’ | 0 – 0 | CHANCE! After earning the corner, Topor flies high at the set-piece with his header flying JUST over the crossbar! #NEWvMCY
17’ | 0 – 0 | CHANCE! Dimi forces Bouzanis into a diving save from the attacking free-kick, great strike! #NEWvMCY
42’ | 0 – 1 | City take the lead through Fornaroli #NEWvMCY
42’ | 0 – 1 | A strike from the set-piece opens City’s account fro the afternoon, with Fornaroli making no mistake after hitting the upright with his previous effort #NEWvMCY
53’ | 0 – 2 | City double their advantage through Vidosic #NEWvMCY
65’ | 0 – 2 | CHANCE! Really nice build up there, as Rodriguez squares a ball into the area for Ugarkovic who hits his first-time straight to Bouzanis #NEWvMCY
72’ | 0 – 2 | CHANCE! Neat play through the middle as Vargas, Petratos and O’Donovan combine – Rodriguez is released into space but his strike sails wide #NEWvMCY
73’ | 0 – 2 | CHANCE! Rodriguez releases Vujica with a classy touch, as he fires a low cross into the area which just evades and outstretched O’Donovan #NEWvMCY
77’ | 0 – 3 | A brace for Vidosic as City improve their lead #NEWvMCY
83’ | 0 – 3 | CHANCE! A vicious ball in from Georgievski finds a diving Rodriguez, whose headed chance sails just wide! #NEWvMCY
86’ | 0 – 3 | CHANCE! Dimi again with another dangerous strike from the set-piece, forcing Bouzanis to tip the ball over the crossbar #NEWvMCY
90’ | 0 – 3 | Thanks to the 11,423 fans who made the trip to @MJStadium tonight! #NEWvMCY
Newcastle Jets: 1.Jack DUNCAN (gk), 5.Ben KANTAROVSKI 6.Steven UGARKOVIC, 7.Dimitri PETRATOS, 8.Ronald VARGAS, 9.Roy O’DONOVAN, 13.Ivan VUJICA, 16. Nick COWBURN, 17.Daniel GEORGIEVSKI, 27.Riley McGREE 44.Nikolai TOPOR-STANLEY
Subs: 11.Pato RODRIGUEZ, 18.John KOUTROUMBIS 20.Glen MOSS (gk), 22.Lachlan JACKSON 24.Joseph CHAMPNESS
Subs Not Used: 18.John KOUTROUMBIS 20.Glen MOSS (gk), 22.Lachlan JACKSON
Yellow Cards: 44.Nikolai TOPOR-STANLEY (25’), 13.Ivan VUJICA (40’), 17.Daniel GEORGIEVSKI (69’)
Red Cards:
Goals:
Melbourne City: 1.Dean BOUZANIS (gk), 3.Scott JAMIESON, 5.Bert SCHENKEVELD, 8.Oliver BOZANIC, 10.Dario VIDOSIC, 13.Stefan MAUK, 14.Daniel ARZANI, 22.Michael JAKOBSEN, 23.Bruno FORNAROLI, 26.Luke BRATTAN, 37.Nathaniel ATKINSON
Subs: 2. Emmanuel MUSCAT, 4. Harrison DELBRIDGE, 7.Nick FITZGERALD, 18. Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk), 27.Marcin BUDZINSKI
Subs Not Used: 18. Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk), 27.Marcin BUDZINSKI
Yellow Cards: 14.Daniel ARZANI (23’)
Red Cards:
Goals: 23.Bruno FORNAROLI (42’), 10.Dario VIDOSIC (53’, 77’)
