Victory get that winning feeling

Melbourne Victory has secured its first win of the 2007/08 Hyundai A-League season, with a Kevin Muscat penalty and a late Archie Thompson special giving the champions a 2-0 success over Queensland Roar at Telstra Dome.

The Victory had managed five draws before this match and a record-equalling sixth was on the cards before Leandro Love earned a penalty which the Victory skipper converted on 67 minutes. The Brazilian also had a hand in the second, lobbing the Roar defenders for Thompson squeeze the ball past an unlucky Liam Reddy on 85 minutes.

"It's important that we win games," coach Ernie Merrick said. "It's probably even more important now we win them consistently. We're looking forward to playing Sydney next week."

Queensland again showed plenty of enthusiasm and was the better side for much of the match, but was ultimately let down by its execution. It now has one win, two draws and three loses to show from its first six games.

Queensland coach Frank Farina felt the scoreline was not an accurate reflection of how the game panned out, but that the lack of finish was a major concern.

"Very stiff I thought. you all saw the game as well. The second half in particular the ball spent most of its time down our end. We were a bit naive. We we're late to react to the first goal," he said. "I thought we dominated most of the game, but when you see the scoreline 2-0, it doesn't count for much"

It was a subdued opening 20 minutes from both sides with nothing to seriously trouble the keepers. Matthew McKay delivered a well-taken free kick which forced the Victory custodian Michael Theoklitos off his line. Reddy charged off his line soon after to hack a long ball to safety with Thompson lurking.

The Victory's first clear chance came on 29 minutes from a miscued pass which found Love in acres of space on the right. The Brazilian picked out Danny Allsopp, with the striker's cute shot narrowly wide.

The attacking thrusts looked more cohesive as the half wore on, but the quality chances weren't being created. Love, the liveliest player on the pitch, spoilt an excellent chance set up by Leigh Broxham with a rigid first touch and then shot wide after Thompson burst from inside the defensive half and delivered the ball to him on the edge of the box. In a late heart flutter for Theoklitos, he was forced to back-peddle and deflect Marcinho's cross over the bar to preserve the stalemate at half time.

Early in the second half, Pantelidis pulled of an excellent challenge to thwart Simon Lynch as he burst clear on goal, while soon after Grant Brebner joined Danny Tiatto in Ben Williams' book. Daniel Piorkowski was the third player cautioned on 55 minutes. Bu the end of the game, seven players had received yellow cards.

Rody Vargas produced a stunning goal-line clearance on the hour mark after Craig Moore crept forward and had beaten Theoklitos with his shot. Wrong-footed, Vargas raised his left leg to knock the ball clear.

The game's first goal was created by Thompson, who received a long ball, ducked around his marker and crashed the ball into the bar. It deflected to Leandro, who was brought down by Sasa Ogenenovski, and Williams pointed to the spot. Muscat took his