Melbourne Victory coach Mehmet Durakovic rued his side’s poor finishing on goal in their 1-0 loss to Adelaide on Friday night.
Melbourne Victory coach Mehmet Durakovic rued his side’s poor finishing on goal in their 1-0 loss to Adelaide on Friday night.
Having lost their last two matches against their bitter rivals, Durakovic was taking charge of his first clash against the Reds and he was unable to turn the tide for the Melburnians as Sergio van Dijk’s strike early in the second half swung the contest.
But the Montenegrin-born Durakovic said his side’s profligacy in the final third cost them at least a point.
“When it comes to the final pass, instead of passing it we are trying to take another touch, then another touch and by then it’s too late or the keeper’s made a good save,” Durakovic said.
“They are all professional footballers and really good players, but it just takes time to gel with the way we want to play.”
“Sooner or later those chances will go in and after that we won’t look back.”
Attacker Marco Rojas was again flaunting his impressive skills down the right for Melbourne after a bright debut for the Victory last week, and the 20-year-old impressed his coach once more even though his influence waned in the second half as Melbourne tried to account for one less man.
“He’s a wonderful talent and the more game time he makes, he will get even better,” Durakovic said.
“But obviously tonight he just ran out of legs in the second half and I thought it was better to take him off.”
Victory are yet to score after 180 minutes this season, but Durakovic had high hopes his side would be able to convert their promising play onto the scoreboard for the first Melbourne derby of the season next week.
“Obviously it’s a big game for us next week (against Melbourne Heart) and we are going to need to take our chances to try and get the three points, because we definitely need it,” he said.
Durakovic questioned the decision by referee Ben Williams to hand a yellow card to Victory captain Adrian Leijer midway through the first half, which was eventually upgraded to red just after van Dijk’s goal later in the game.
“I really don’t understand how he (Leijer) got the yellow card for the first one,” he said.
“It hasn’t made it easier on us but we’ve got Peter Franjic, he’s a youngster and I’ve got confidence in whoever we put there (central defence).”
