Bruno Fornaroli has put Melbourne City on the winner's list
for the first time this season, firing two second-half goals to give his side a
3-1 win over Central Coast Mariners.
The Uruguayan signing backed up his Melbourne derby goal
with efforts to endear him to his new fans on his home debut at AAMI Park.
In a match that fizzed from kickoff to the final whistle, it
was the movement and finishing of "El Tuna" that separated the two
sides after Patrick Kisnorbo and Nick Fitzgerald scored in the opening quarter-hour.
Aaron Mooy continued his good form in City's midfield and it
was no surprise to see him involved with City's opener.
Mooy's curling cross was headed by Kisnorbo, who was dropped
for the club's FFA Cup semi-final in midweek, beyond Paul Izzo's grasp.
But City's lead lasted less than two minutes as Fitzgerald
fired a bullet from 30 metres out through the legs of Kisnorbo, burning Thomas
Sorensen's fingertips on its way to the net.
The scoring stopped but the action continued, with Mooy
denied by quick glovework from Izzo a minute later.
From an identical position as he delivered the cross for
Kisnorbo's opener, Mooy opted to shoot and was almost rewarded - replays
showing Izzo's punch was just centimetres from crossing the line.
Stefan Zinni then missed a strong one-on-one chance and
Fabio Ferreira put the ball in the net for the Mariners, only to be judged
offside.
On a humid Melbourne day, players looked relieved when
referee Chris Beath blew for halftime but the break didn't slow the pace.
Coach John van 't Schip's early second-half injection of
David Williams had the desired effect.
The 27-year-old latched onto Mooy's pass and swept it across
the goal for Fornaroli to tap in after 52 minutes.
Now clearly in the ascendancy, the Uruguayan made the game
safe 20 minutes later, running untroubled into the box and scoring under Izzo's
body.
The Mariners had another goal disallowed as full-time
loomed, with Fitzgerald's fine effort scratched when Roy O'Donovan ran into the
way of the ball.
The result is just City's second win in six seasons against
the Mariners and is a vital shot in the arm against their bogey side.
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