A-League Review: Victory dominate, Sydney bounce back

Reigning champions Melbourne Victory climbed to second in the A-League with a 4-0 thrashing of Western Sydney Wanderers.

Kevin Muscat’s men stretched their winning run to four matches as Keisuke Honda, Raul Baena and Kosta Barbarouses all scored in the first half, with Terry Antonis adding late gloss.

The result puts Victory one point behind unbeaten leaders Perth Glory, who visit Wellington Phoenix on Sunday. 

Honda broke the deadlock after just 11 minutes, producing a pinpoint header from Antonis’ excellent delivery. 

Baena doubled the advantage with a cool-headed finish just past the half-hour mark and Barbarouses’ spot-kick – awarded after Tarek Elrich had clumsily felled the New Zealand international – put the game to bed before the break.

The hapless Wanderers were caught on the break as Antonis lashed in a fourth with seven minutes remaining.

BOOM! #MVCvWSW #ALeague pic.twitter.com/LLduHCmyAA

— Melbourne Victory (@gomvfc) December 1, 2018

Sydney bounced back from their first defeat of the league season with a 2-1 victory over winless Central Coast Mariners, Brandon O’Neill’s stunning finish settling matters.

Graham Arnold’s side were beaten 2-1 by Victory last Sunday, but put that setback behind them with a come-from-behind triumph in Gosford.

Matt Simon opened the scoring with a close-range finish from Matthew Millar’s searching cross, only for the in-form Adam Le Fondre to level from the spot after Rhyan Grant was fouled by Jack Clisby.

With the Mariners having conceded 10 goals in their previous three matches, Sydney sensed an opportunity to get at their hosts and they were rewarded by O’Neill’s thunderous 20-yard strike.