The Adelaide United Youth Team secured a 4-1 win in convincing fashion over the Melbourne Victory Youth Team in Round 3 of the Foxtel National Youth League 2016/17 season at AAMI Park on Saturday.
A Marc Marino hat-trick proved momentous in the Adelaide United Youth Team’s victory, and a header from Captain, Joshua Mori confidently sealed the deal. A goal from Melbourne Victory’s Pierce Waring was inconsequential for the hosts, in what was a dominant performance from the Young Reds.
True to the words of Adelaide United Youth Team Head Coach, Huss Skenderovic, his side set their sights on a win, and conquered their Round 3 clash, rightfully so. Hat-trick hero, Marc Marino, proved to be a prominent figure in Skenderovic’s starting XI, as well as an all-round impressive performance from the travelling team.
United started the stronger of the two sides, taking control over the midfield in the early exchanges, which lead to an early chance in the 13th minute, where Ryan Strain was unlucky not to put away a close-range header. Marino scored his first from the spot with confidence on 18 minutes, which sparked the beginning of a resembling man-of-the-match display.
Half-an-hour into the contest, Victory’s Nicholas Sette forced a fingertip save from distance out of United gloveman, Daniel Margush, which kept the Melbourne outfit out of the game. Shortly after, Lucas Derrick tried to outsmart Margush, with a close attempt, but went over the crossbar, not troubling the keeper.
Just as Melbourne Victory thought they were in for a chance at equalising the score-line, Marino expertly chipped Victory’s keeper, Steven Hatzikourtis, with his second that gave United a good standing point to head into the second half.
Marino wasted no time to flourish once again, a curled ball into the top corner from inside the box, enabled a tenacious 3-0 lead. In the 54th minute, Pierce Waring capitalised on an unfortunate mix-up by the Young Reds to get one back for the Boys in Blue.
In a Captain-like manner, Joshua Mori scored a well-timed header into the back of the net, minutes after Waring’s goal, to trample on the hosts’ spirits. In the 79th minute, Aleksander Stanisavljevic hit the post from close range, after a composed cross by Victory, but did not provide any significant danger toward Margush’s goal.
United denied their opponents with any more attempts on goal up until the 90th minute, as they remained hungry, and their solid 4-1 win was enough to walk away with the three points away from home.
