By Damir Kulas (@DamirKulas)

Melbourne Victory has secured its first victory in the PlayStation 4 NPL 1, as it defeated Springvale White Eagles 3-1 on Tuesday night.

A double from Joey Katebian was the difference between the two sides, with Milos Ridesic bagged the third for the visitors, while Danilo Vuckovic grabbed what proved to be a mere consolation for the hosts from the spot.

Heading into the clash, the White Eagles had taken a solitary point from their opening two games while the Victory had made their debut in the competition with a solid 1-1 draw away to Dandenong City.

It was the visitors who started off the better, as Stefan Nigro and Milos Ridesic came close inside the opening five minutes, with Nigro’s shot hitting the post.

The dangerous Lucas Derrick and Katebian were next to try their luck, but both slashed their shots wide of the post.

Up the other end, the hosts had a glorious chance to take the lead when Hamish Millar whipped in a cross from the left that found striker Dejan Erakovic, who spurned the opportunity by volleying over the bar from close range.

That miss would come back to haunt the home side as Katebian’s majestic free-kick from 25 metres left White Eagles goalkeeper Nebojsa Vujic helpless, as he watched the ball sail past the wall and into the back of the net.

Vuckovic mustered a chance for the White Eagles but his shot was parried wide by Victory goalkepeer Lucas Spinella, before George Howard’s brilliant run down the left teed up Kieran Dover whose shot towards goal was well blocked by Slavisa Saric.

However the boys in blue would not be denied moments later when Ridesic lost his marker in the box from a corner, before slotting the ball into the net.

The former White Eagles junior showed a touch of class when refusing to celebrate the goal out of respect to his first childhood club.

The well-earned 2-0 lead would be slashed minutes before the break, when Damien Miskulin’s mistimed challenge on Hernan De Rito saw the referee point to the spot, with Vuckovic successfully converting the resulting penalty to reduce the margin.

Victory came out of the gates in the second half the stronger, led by Howard as he capitalised on a misplaced pass and punished the home side on the break, finding Katebian for his second of the game, with the striker calmly finishing off his opportunity past Vujic.

Zed Mihajlovic’s men almost got themselves back into the contest when Abel Fesseha pounced on Thomas Deng’s poor back pass only to be forced wide by Spinella who made himself big when coming off his line.

Vuckovic nearly got himself a second when he was well set-up by Millar, but the attacker’s on-rushing shot was well saved by Spinella.

Howard had two more opportunities to extend the lead for Darren Davies’ men, but he was thwarted by Vujic.

Match Details

MELBOURNE VICTORY 3 (Katebian 25’, 56’, Ridesic 39’) defeated SPRINGVALE WHITE EAGLES 1 (Vuckovic 44’ [PEN]) at WHITE EAGLES STADIUM

SWE: 1. Nebojsa Vujic (GK), 2.Jordan Ballerini, 6. Slavisa Saric, 8. Hernan De Rito, 10. Stojan Milojevic (15. Milan Jovanovic 46’), 11. Danilo Vuckovic, 13. Hamish Millar, 17. Sebastian Lecaros, 21. Dejan Erakovic (9. Abel Fesseha 46’), 23. Marcus Holmes, 33. Zarko Milojevic (3. Vedran Tomic 83’)

Unused Subs: 12. Bojan Tomic (GK), 16. Nemanja Salamandic

Yellow Card(s): De Rito 62

Red Card(s): None

MVC: 1. Lucas Spinella (GK), 3. Milos Ridesic, 4. Thomas Deng, 5. Damien Miskulin (2. Thomas Lakic 73’), 6. Stefan Nigro, 8. Anthony Duzel (16. Patrick Avice 85’), 9. Joey Katebian, 10. Kieran Dover (11. John Maclean 73’), 13. Lucas Derrick, 17. George Howard, 19. Nick Glavan

Unused Subs: 14. Reece Caldecourt, 20. Stephen Hatzikourtes (GK)

Yellow Card(s): None

Red Card(s): None