Besart Berisha haunts Melbourne Victory with derby brace in Western United's win

Liam Blackburn

Besart Berisha haunts Melbourne Victory with derby brace in Western United's win image

Besart Berisha came back to haunt his former employers Melbourne Victory as he scored a brace in Western United's 3-1 derby success.

The 34-year-old striker - the only man to have scored over 100 times in the A-League - spent four goal-laden seasons with Victory before leaving in 2018.

Berisha's former club took the lead 14 minutes in on Sunday, Andrew Nabbout running into the box down the right and arrowing a finish into the far corner following a counter.

Yet Victory were served a reminder of their former striker's quality three minutes later as Berisha met a near-post Connor Pain cross with a flicked header for United's first goal in 319 minutes.

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Panagiotis Kone turned home Alessandro Diamanti's free-kick in the 24th minute to put United ahead and though James Donachie came close to equalising when he hit the bar, Berisha headed in his second, and 120th A-League goal, before half-time to seal a 3-1 victory.


Adelaide United got back on track as James Troisi scored an 83rd-minute winner in a 2-1 home victory over Newcastle Jets.

The hosts had won four A-League games in a row before losing 2-1 to Wellington Phoenix last time out, though they were ahead at the break when George Blackwood applied the finish following excellent work from teenager Al Hassan Toure.

Matthew Millar headed Newcastle level just after the resumption but Troisi beat two defenders before rolling home past Glen Moss to earn three points for third-placed Adelaide.

Liam Blackburn