Melbourne Victory’s new-look attacking duo of Bruno Fornaroli and Fernando Romero have struck to deliver a 2-0 win over Central Coast and revive their ailing A-League Men season.
Fornaroli’s chip in the 16th minute gave Victory the upper hand before Romero notched his first ALM goal in the 55th in front of a sparse crowd at AAMI Park.
Romero’s day was soured when he was sent off for a studs-up tackle in the 66th minute while in the 82nd minute, the Mariners were awarded a penalty which was contentiously chalked off after a VAR review.
Victory remain bottom of the table but just six points outside the finals places with five games, plus their to-be-resumed Christmas Melbourne derby, to play.
The Mariners, who haven’t won in Victoria since 2014, sit fourth and six points outside the top two.
Tony Popovic started Fornaroli and Romero together for the first time and Victory drew first blood when Roderick Miranda lifted a long cross-field ball into the path of Fornaroli.
The Socceroo wrapped his boot around the ball and lofted it first-time over Danny Vukovic’s head and into the goal.
The Mariners started the second half with greater intensity and Moresche headed over the bar in the 49th minute.
Victory doubled their lead five minutes later.
Damien Da Silva picked out Chris Ikonomidis with a lovely cross-field ball and the winger burst along the goal line before cutting it back for Romero to bury at the near post.
Four minutes later, Mariners striker Jason Cummings teed up Moresche but the Brazilian fired off target.
Victory went down a man when Romero caught Max Balard with a studs-up tackle to the shin in the 63rd minute and after a VAR review, referee Jonathan Barreiro gave the Paraguayan a straight red card.
It was the 42nd red card of the ALM season – a league record.
Central Coast were awarded a penalty when Da Silva was ruled to have brought down Marco Tulio in the 79th minute but after a VAR review, Barreiro overturned it.
Victory defended staunchly from there to see out the game.
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