Melbourne Metropolis have revitalised their Asian Champions League Elite marketing campaign with a dramatic 2-1 win over Buriram United.
The Thai membership’s Serbian midfielder Goran Causic headed dwelling within the 72nd minute and Metropolis seemed in dire straits.
However with Socceroos coach Tony Popovic watching on at AAMI Park, captain Aziz Behich teed up substitute Elsaban Rashani to equalise within the 84th minute earlier than younger striker Max Caputo scored a 97th-minute winner.
It’s Metropolis’s first win in Asia since beating the identical opponents 2-0 in October 2023.
Aurelio Vidmar’s Metropolis (three factors) sit seventh after two losses and Tuesday’s win, forward of eighth-placed Buriram on objective distinction.
With 5 video games to go, Metropolis are actually again within the combine to qualify for the spherical of 16, with eight of the 12 groups within the east division qualifying for the knockouts.
Former Central Coast boss Mark Jackson was on the sidelines for Buriram, 12 days after strolling out on the Mariners, whereas ex-Metropolis defender Curtis Good and captain, former Socceroos midfielder Kenny Dougall, began.
Buriram had the primary significant effort on objective within the twenty ninth minute when Peter Zulj dragged a shot large.
In harm time, Zulj whipped in a cross for Causic to go dwelling, however the objective was chalked off for offside.
Metropolis goalkeeper Patrick Seashore was referred to as into motion within the forty seventh minute to disclaim a shot and shortly after Dougall made a goal-saving problem on Metropolis’s Kavian Rahmani.
The house facet’s Harry Shillington required therapy after a head conflict within the 54th and was substituted with concussion minutes later together with the injured Samuel Souprayen.
Buriram struck once they swung in a nook and striker Supachai Chaided bicycle-kicked the ball into the trail of Zulj.
The shot from Zulj compelled a wonderful save from Seashore, however he might solely parry the ball into the trail of Causic, who took a contact then slammed it dwelling.
Metropolis struggled to create something till Behich burst down the left, beat a defender then lower the ball again for Rashani to drive it into the again of the online.
Elbashan Rashani (left) shoots for the Melbourne Metropolis A-League workforce (Picture by Texi Smith).
Caputo turned a header over the bar within the 94th minute however three minutes later, Nathaniel Atkinson whipped a terrific ball into the again submit for the younger striker to show dwelling.
Melbourne return to A-League motion in opposition to Perth Glory on Saturday and are again within the ACL Elite when away to Japanese membership Machida Zelvia, dwelling of Socceroos striker Mitch Duke, on November 4.
© AAP
