Besart Berisha helps Melbourne Victory draw 3-3 withCentral Coast Mariners in A-League

Updated January 08, 2016 22:29:14

Photo: Cometh the hour ... Besart Berisha celebrates his opening goal for the Victory against theMariners (Getty Images: Robert Prezioso) Map: Geelong 3220

Besart Berisha denied Central Coast Mariners an A-League upset for the ages with a stoppage timegoal to salvage a 3-3 draw for Melbourne Victory in Geelong.

SCOREBOARD: CCM 3-3 MV Mariners 3-3 Victory at Kardinia Park, January 8,20164Shots on target54Shots off target1030%Possession70%1Corners151Offsides4Central CoastMariners: 3 (H Ascroft 12', J Bingham 30', Mitchell Austin 35')

Melbourne Victory: 3 (B Berisha 60'(pen), 90+2', A Thompson 66+)

Victory looked down for the count at half-time, when first-half goals to Harry Ascroft, Josh Binghamand Mitch Austin gave the Mariners a 3-0 lead.

But Victory found a way back, with Berisha scoring either side of a fine team goal from ArchieThompson to salvage a point.

This was an outstanding comeback but how coach Kevin Muscat must have wished his side began atkick-off and not half-time.

The Mariners, playing in a classic counter-attacking style, cut through Victory at ease for a well-deserved lead.

The first goal was a textbook corner.

Austin swung it in to young defender Ascroft, who soared above Rashid Mahazi to head past Victorygoalkeeper Danny Vukovic.

On the half-hour the Mariners had their second, Fabio Ferreira slipping in Bingham to slot home atthe back post.

Then came a sucker punch, with Dylan Murnane's foul of Ferreira allowing the Mariners to skip free.

Bingham was involved again, picking up the loose ball and playing in Austin, who raced home tofinish his one-on-one chance.

At half-time, Victory went off the pitch to boos, but returned with an intensity that was missing inthe first 45 minutes.

The pressure told on the hour mark, when Ascroft brought down Kosta Barbarouses, allowingBerisha to covert from the spot.

Photo: Tight encounter ... The Victory's Matthieu Delpierre (L) wins the contest for the ball (GettyImages: Robert Prezioso)

Muscat threw Leigh Broxham into midfield and replaced Gui Finkler with Thompson as he chasedparity.

Thompson pounced within five minutes of arrival, putting the finishing touch on a fantastic goal.

Berisha's flick left Barbarouses plenty to do but the New Zealand magician juggled the ball through

the Mariners defence, volleying onto the bar.

Thompson arrived on the spot to sidefoot home through a packed defence.

It was game on in Geelong, with Victory creating a procession of chances to equalise.

Broxham's chip was headed over the bar while Berisha, substitute Nick Ansell and DanielGeorgievski all fired wide before the Albanian left his mark.

Mahazi's diagonal ball was headed on by Barbarouses for Berisha to head on past 18-year-oldgoalkeeper Tom Hewerd-Belle with just two minutes to play.

The draw ends the Mariners' six-match losing streak to Victory but keeps the champions in themuck.

Muscat's side have taken just five points from the last seven games to leave their championshipdefence hanging by a thread.

AAP

Topics:soccer,a-league,sport,geelong-3220,melbourne-3000,gosford-2250

First posted January 08, 2016 21:43:34

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-08/besart-berisha-helps-melbourne-victory-draw-3-3-with-central-co/7077702