The Bulls collected three points in Melbourne after breaking Melbourne Victory’s unbeaten run in a defensive masterclass.
The Bulls showcased their defensive talents on a warm Saturday evening at AAMI Park, where they defeated the Melbourne-based team, Melbourne Victory. Jake Hollman opened the scoring for Macarthur FC on the counter-attack in the 20th minute, after Bernardo Oliveira partnered with him to slip the ball through Victory’s defenses, setting up the perfect shot for Hollman to chip it over Izzo and into the back of the net. Chances for the Bulls were few and far between, but their defensive efforts shone, denying Victory at every opportunity.
Filip Kurto had one of his best performances of the season, making extraordinary saves to continuously deny Victory’s shots at goal. Ivan Vujica, Tomislav Uskok, Oliver Jones, and Kealey Adamson were the unsung heroes of the match, showcasing their combined defensive skills throughout the entire game. The Bulls went into halftime in the lead.
The second half was where the Bulls presented their defensive masterclass, with Filip Kurto continuing to produce fantastic saves to deny Victory an equalizer. Raphael’s chance at goal in the 51st minute just barely scraped past the far post. Jed Drew, Charles M’Mombwa, Tommy Smith, Ariath Piol, and Kristian Popovic all made appearances off the bench, coming on for Raphael, Bernardo, Oliver Jones, Lachlan Rose, and Jake Hollman. Tommy Smith and Ariath Piol made their debuts for the Bulls, and Piol made his A-League debut in the 78th minute.
In the 84th minute, Victory was awarded a penalty after Adamson brought down a Victory player in the box. Bruno Fornaroli stepped up for Victory, but it was Filip Kurto who denied Fornaroli the equalizer, making a heroic save for the clean sheet. The Bulls fought right to the end, and the clash ended in a 0 – 1 victory for the Bulls, breaking Melbourne Victory’s unbeaten run at AAMI Park.
Want to see the Bulls play live? The Bulls are back in action at home on Tuesday 13th of February, 2024 at 6:00pm, for the AFC Cup Zonal Semi Finals against Malaysian team Sabah FC at Campbelltown Sports Stadium. Full season ticketed members will be granted entry for this game exclusively. Tickets are now on sale, so remember to secure your seat today!
