Melbourne Victory continued their impressive pre-season form with a 1-0 win over Adelaide United in a closed trial match at Coopers Stadium on Friday afternoon.
Besart Berisha was the only goal scorer in a heated affair, converting a penalty which struck the left post before bundling into the net.
The match was fiercely contested as any rivalry should be, and it culminated in the booking of Victory players Dylan Murnane and Jason Geria for harsh challenges.
The Reds were impressive for large parts of the match, controlling possession through Isaias and Jeggo who always looked for a way forward.
They linked up well with the Reds’ latest signing Craig Goodwin, whose advanced positioning as a wingback meant he was a constant threat with his precise crossing ability.
But the Victory proved to be a strong opposition, as they were able to sustain their defensive pressure and block many of the shots attempted by Djite and Jeggo.
Meanwhile Archie Thompson and Andrew Nabbout were a constant threat to the Reds’ defence, with the former creating bursting runs and the latter producing many shots on target.
Nigel Boogaard and Dylan McGowan were equal to their attacking threats, however, as they were solid in the center of defence throughout the match.
The match was much more open in the second half, with both teams moving the ball up the field quickly in search of a goal.
Young Reds Mark Ochieng and Nathan Konstandopoulos also had the chance to make an impact for the Reds in midfield, two players who have featured regularly for the Reds in the pre-season.
Former Melbourne Victory midfielder Jeggo stepped up in the middle of the park and controlled a great deal of the Reds’ forward play, even latching onto a few chances on goal himself.