Sydney (AFP) – Besart Berisha became the Australian A-League’s all-time leading goalscorer as Melbourne Victory maintained their pursuit of leaders Sydney FC with a 4-2 win over Newcastle Jets on Monday.
Albanian Berisha overtook former Victory teammate Archie Thompson with his 91st A-League goal, scoring from the spot in the first half before Marco Rojas doubled Victory’s advantage with a close-range volley.
The Jets hit back with a a long range drive from Chinese Leilei Ma and a deflected effort from Wayne Brown in the second half but goals to Fahid Ben Khalfallah and James Troisi kept the result out of Newcastle’s reach.
The win put Victory within seven points of Sydney FC, but with a game in hand against Wellington Phoenix.
Sydney FC remained unbeaten after 13 games with a 2-0 win over title rivals Brisbane Roar, but finished the game with 10 men after skipper Alex Brosque was sent off for a second yellow card.
Goals from Brosque and Milos Ninkovic, both orchestrated by Brazilian Bobo, put Sydney FC in command while the loss ended the Roar’s 10-match unbeaten streak and left John Aloisi’s side 12 points adrift in third place.
Uruguayan Bruno Fornaroli scored a dramatic late penalty to deny struggling Central Coast a New Year’s Eve home victory over Melbourne City.
Trent Buhagiar and Irishman Roy O’Donovan brought the ninth-placed Mariners back from a goal down after Tim Cahill’s first-half opener and were on track for their third win of the season.
But Scott Galloway conceded an 88th-minute penalty, allowing Fornaroli to secure a 2-2 draw that keeps Dutchman John van ‘t Schip’s side in the top four at the season’s halfway mark.
Jaushua Sotirio’s first goal of the season secured a point for struggling Western Sydney Wanderers, who held Perth Glory to a 1-1 New Year’s Day draw.
Adam Taggart opened the Glory’s account in the 14th minute before substitute Sotirio netted just minutes after his introduction to lift the Wanderers back into sixth spot.
Wellington Phoenix extended their unbeaten league run to four games in a scoreless home draw with bottom team and defending champions Adelaide United.
