A stunning Besart Berisha strike saw Melbourne Victory past Adelaide United 2-1 in a Hyundai A-League Elimination Final on Sunday.
Summary
Berisha scored with a spectacular bicycle kick in the 89th minute as Victory claimed a come-from-behind win at AAMI Park.
Leroy George had earlier cancelled out Nikola Mileusnic’s opener as Victory moved into a Semi Final against Sydney FC on Saturday.
Both teams made a high-tempo start, but were let down by its final passes in the opening 15 minutes.
Victory’s first real chance came midway through the first half, Terry Antonis drawing a straightforward save from Paul Izzo with a free-kick.
The host continued to threaten, with only a last-ditch tackle from Ben Garuccio denying George after the winger was put through by a wonderful Kosta Barbarouses pass on the half-hour mark.
Antonis curled a 25-yard effort over the crossbar approaching half-time as the teams went into the break level.
Adelaide opened the scoring in the 57th minute, Mileusnic poking a finish past Lawrence Thomas after a long pass from Isaias.
Thomas pushed away a Baba Diawara strike just four minutes later before Victory equalised.
Barbarouses did well down the right before crossing for George, who headed in his ninth goal of the Hyundai A-League season.
Victory went close to taking the lead in the 69th minute.
George played a brilliant pass from the right to Berisha, who was denied by a low save by Izzo.
But Victory would find a late winner thanks to an incredible goal from Berisha.
Barbarouses again did superbly down the right before crossing to Berisha, whose bicycle kick found the bottom corner to see Victory to its win.
Player in focus
Key moment
What they said – Berisha
on the win…
“Adelaide played really tough today. We couldn’t really find our rhythm. They played a lot of long balls and we couldn’t really play our game the way we wanted, but the team again showed patience and discipline, which is required if you’re 1-0 down and I’m so happy we came back and in the end to win the game, it’s great from the team.”
Result
Hyundai A-League 2017/18 Elimination Final
Melbourne Victory 2 (Leroy George 63′, Besart Berisha 89′)
Adelaide United 1 (Nikola Mileusnic 57′)
Melbourne Victory: Thomas (gk), Deng, Williams, Donachie, Broxham, Valeri (c), Antonis, Troisi (Sanchez 90+5′), Barbarouses, Berisha (Athiu 90+1′), George (Theoharous 90+4′)
Adelaide United: Izzo (gk), Marrone, Elsey, Gulum, Garuccio, Isaias (c), Konstandopoulos (Lia 81′), Adlung, Mileusnic (Kitto 72′), Diawara (Blackwood 87′), Absalonsen
Yellow cards: Garuccio 24′, Williams 41′, Valeri 51′, Diawara 65′, Broxham 67′, Berisha 77′, Lia 82′
Red cards: Nil
Attendance: 15,502
Venue: AAMI Park
Next up
Victory faces Sydney FC in a Semi Final on Saturday, April 28.
