By Chris Hearn (@_ChrisHearn)

Melbourne City has earned its second win of the season, defeating Whittlesea Ranges 3-1 at Epping Stadium on Wednesday night in a rescheduled Round 1 match.

After a one-sided 30 minutes where Whittlesea squandered a number of presentable chances, City first-team hopeful Nick Symeoy opened the scoring, before Mark Marino and Hernan Espindola extended the lead.

Ranges' Sami Nour looked to continue his impressive start to 2015, his early run showcasing a vast array of trickery. But as he bore down on Yaren Sozer's goal the winger chose to shoot, but could only earn a corner, while team-mate Matthew Cundari was available with an empty net in sight.

From the resulting set piece, the City goalkeeper denied Nour again with a point-blank save after his defence failed to clear.

Daniel Peluso was next to try his luck, with a touch of deja vu about the opportunity as City's strugglign to deal with a set piece again.

The speedster tested Sozer from 18 yards to force a strong save.

Minutes later, Giosue Tolomeo spurned a free header following Peluso's excellent cross.


City nearly scored against the run of play, as Marino was played through by Phil Petreski, but the striker's effort cannoned off the upright.

The chance seemed to fire City into action, and went ahead on 32 minutes. A glancing header from Symeoy beat Ranges 'keeper Gian Tapia. City's lead would be doubled six minutes later.

Marino cut inward from the left wing unchallenged, before outfoxing defender Andrew Taylor and firing an unstoppable strike past Tapia to make it 2-0.

Peluso's pin-point pass set Tolomeo free on the right, and he reached the pass before Sozer but again, the final touch was lacking and Symeoy was able to clear for his side.

A killer third goal marked the end of Ranges' resistance, coming minutes after Tolomeo's missed opportunity.

Espindola added it after a scintillating run from Anthony Rizk to give the forward the task of firing past the exposed Tapia.

Ranges full-back Mohamed Mohamed scored a consolation goal.

He latched onto Mario Pirania's shot, before firing past Sozer from close range on 74 minutes.

Vinko Buljubasic's men ended with a flurry, but their night was summed up on the cusp of stoppage time as Tolomeo's initial shot was saved by Sozer, the rebound evaded Peluso's outstretched boot by inches.

 

MATCH DETAILS

Melbourne City 3 (Symeoy 32' , Marino 38', Espindola 64') defeated Whittlesea Ranges 1 (Mohamed 74') at Epping Stadium [HT 2-0]

 

Melbourne City: 1. Yaren SOZER, 2. Tyler JAMES, 3. Nicholas SYMEOY, 5. Leo ATHANASIOU, 6. Phil PETRESKI, 7. Hernan ESPINDOLA, 8. Ratip CILELI (10. Luka PRELEVIC 73'), 16. Matthew MILLAR, 14. Baki EFE (19. Anthony TARANTO 82'), 22. Marc MARINO, 12. Anthony RIZK (11. Stefan ZINNI 65')

Unused Subs: 13. Nick NORTON, 20. Jack WEST-ASTUTI

Yellow Cards: Yaren Sozer 70'

Red Cards: Nil

 

Whittlesea Ranges: 1. Gian TAPIA, 3. Mohammed MOHAMMED (2. Pavle DURKIC 89'), 6. Andrew TAYLOR, 19. Adem MUSTADANAGIC, 4. Mario PIRANIA, 17. Stefan BARICEVIC (15. Matthew KUNDEVSKI 67'), 5. Daniel SOTIROPOULOS, 7. Matthew CUNDARI, 9. Daniel PELUSO, 23. Giosue TOLOMEO 11. Sami NOUR (25. Attila OFLI 67')

Unused Subs: 26. James RIZZARDO, 14. Rami MUSTAFOSKI

Yellow Cards: Nil

Red Cards: Nil