Muscat's 17th successful spot-kick for the club gave the home side an interval lead with Vargas adding a timely second as Melbourne came under a bit of pressure in the opening period of the second half.
Terrific movement by Merrick's men always gave the home side the edge with impressive contributions from Central Coast-bound Adrian Caceres and new signing Billy Celeski.

Celeski was included in Ernie Merrick's starting line up with the coach going for a 3-4-3 formation - Archie Thompson, Danny Allsopp and Adrian Cacares being utilised in a three-pronged attack.

We're only a couple of minutes away from kick-off as the teams emerge from the tunnel.

It's Melbourne to kick off and away we go....

1 Melbourne concede a needless free-kick just outside their own box with Simone pulled down by Kevin Mucat.

2 The Chunnam picks himself up but thumps a poor free-kick straight into the Victory wall and the ball is cleared.

3 Thompson wins a thrown in by the right corner flag. The ball eventually breaks to Cacares who fires a cross/shot from the left edge of the penalty area that flies past the right post.

5 Chunnam free-kick from the left is headed clear in a crowded Victory penalty area.

5 Simone tries a first time effort from distance but the ball rockets high over the Victory crossbar.

7 Muscat pushes forward but his sloppy pass is easily cut out by the visiting defence.

9 Kemp surges down the left flank and almost succeeds in picking out Allsopp. The striker is quickly crowded out in the area and the ball whipped off his toes.

10 Terrific ball played in low from the right by Nicky Ward and Allsopp is a whisker away from connecting.

10 Thompson takes the ball down inside the area and his angled strike is kept out by keeper Dong Gyun.

11 Broxham shows great composure inside his own box to clear a Korean attack.

12 Some neat interplay and movement by Melbourne ends with a Cacares strike being blocked on the edge of the area.

13 Thompson cuts in from the left flank and is promptly brought down by Lee Kyuro.

14 Free-kick from the left causes confusion in the box and the South Koreans come close to heading into their own net. The visiting keeper gets down smartly to hold on.

16 Thompson picks out Caceres to his right. He tries to bend it into the top left hand corner of the net but the ball sails out, via Matthew Kemp's head, for a goal kick.

17 Thompson shows great speed to keep the ball in on the left byline but can't pick out a colleague in the centre.

18 Wonderful long flighted ball towards Allsopp and the Korean keeper is forced to head clear. Ward pounces on the loose ball but can't beat Dong Yun with the follow up strike.

20 Melbourne are beginning to build some momentum with the Korean defence creaking.

21 Wretched, sloppy ball by Thompson allows Simone to burst clear. A decent strike tipped over by Michael Theoklitos.

22 An absymal corner from the right is picked up by a blue shirt and Melbourne easily clear their lines.

23 Chunnam free-kick from the left is lofted into the area and easily gobbled up by Theoklitos.

25 Broxham tries to create an opening for himself and skips past one challenge on the right edge of the box but not the second.

27 PENALTY! Kemp brought down in the area. Muscat to take it.......

29 GOAL! Cool as you like, the skipper nets his club's first Champions League goal. Straight down the middle. Seventeen penalties for the club, 17 goals.

30 The ball is in the back of the net again! Sadly Danny Allsopp's effort is ruled out for offside. All this after great work between Ward and Thompson.

32 Free-kick on the halfway line, right touchline for the South Koreans. Can they find a way back into this match?

32 Simone tries his luck from distance but drags his strike well wide of the right post.

33 Thompson cuts in from the left but Celeski can't control the pass inside the area and the chance is lost.

34 Caceres cross from the left drifts out for a goal kick.

36 Chunnam attack down the right but poor control on the edge of the area allows the Victory to clear.

37 Powerful effort from Allsopp tipped away to his left by Dong Gyun.

38 Caceres just overhits a threaded ball through to Celeski in the right channel. Ball rolls out for a goalkick.

39 Substitution for Chunnam. Off goes Kyu Ro to be replaced by Sandro.

39 Thompson's low strike from the left beaten away by the keeper. Melbourne are beginning to carve their way through the Korean defence.

40 Pantelidis floats a cross towards Allsopp. The striker fouls his man inside the area and a free-kick to the Koreans.

42 Melbourne surrender cheap possession but Chunnam fail to take full advantage. Shot flies high and wide.

44 Ward shows too much of the ball to his opponent on the edge of the Chunnam area and is dispossessed.

44 Theoklitos holds on comfortably to a poor cross whipped in low from the left.

45 Terrific cross from the left by Caceres. Picks out Thompson in the middle but he can't find the power to beat the Korean keeper with his header.

HALF-TIME Melbourne go in with a 1-0 lead they thoroughly deserve. Kevin Muscat's spot kick is the difference after a foul on Matthew Kemp. It could and should have been more with Thompson spurning a good chance on the stroke of half-time. Caceres has been a real threat down the flanks with Ward also lively. The only worry for Melbourne at this stage is the occasional sloppy ball and lapse in concentration. The Chunnam defence looks far from rock solid. There are more goals in this game for Melbourne but Simone's strike in the first half should serve as a warning that you get punished at this level for switching off.

The teams emerge for the second half. Can the Victory carry on the good work for another 45 minutes?

Chunnam to get us underway for the second half. We're underway again.

46 A wasted chance to make it 2-0. Thompson played in down the right but fails to pick out Allsopp with the cut back. Really should have ended up in the back of the net. Will it come back to haunt Melbourne?

48 The visitors push forward into the Victory half. Kwan Sik tries his luck but his hopeful strike sails high and harmlessly over the crossbar.

50 More frustration for Victory. Thompson's low cross from the left is again aimed for Allsopp but the striker is muscled out of it by the visiting defence on the edge of the six yard box.

52 Another absurdly optimistic attempt on goal from the South Koreans zooms into the crowd behind Theoklitos' goal.

53 Simone strike slices off the outside of the striker's left boot and rolls well wide of the left post for a goal kick.

54 First booking of the night. Ward is brought down on the left flank by Seong Jae.

56 Theoklitos holds on comfortably to a low Chunnam strike as the visitors enjoy far more of the encounter than they did in the first half.

57 Melbourne make their first change of the night. Caceres makes way for Sebastian Ryall.

59 Great turn by Sandro and it needs a vital interception by Roddy Vargas just inside the area.

60 A poor ball from Kemp prevents Thompson racing clear for a strike on goal. Archie is furious with his colleague.

62 The visitors win a corner down the right. Only the second of the game.

62 Simone's effort from the right edge of the box bends just beyond the far post. Another warning for Melbourne.

63 Thompson goes down clutching his left leg. Receives treatment and promptly returns to the field of play.

64 GOAL 2-0. Free-kick from the right into the area and Roddy Vargas powers a header past the Korean keeper into the left hand corner of the net. A great time to record only his second ever goal for the club. Will that take the wind out of the visitors sails? Melbourne really needed that goal to give themselves a cushion.

66 Double change for the visitors as they look for a way to haul themselves back into this contest.

68 Lim Kwansik goes down injured for the visitors.

70 Corner down the left for Victory but they are unable to make anything of it.

71 Tae Su booked for a foul on Broxham.

73 Melbourne about to make another change with Kaz Patafta preparing to come on. Nicky Ward is the man to make way.

75 Simone overhits pass aimed for Sandro and the ball drifts out on the right for a goal kick.

76 Foul by Sabitovic on Thompson 35 metres from goal. Celeski floats free-kick into the area and Muscat header drops just the wrong side of the right post. So close to a third.

78 Allsopp has the ball in the net again. Again ruled out for offside. He looks level. Allsopp's misery compounded by a yellow card!

80 Thompson surges clear down the left yet again, tries to slam the ball past the keeper at his near post but the shot flies well over the target.

82 Thompson pushes down the right this time but his cross is smothered by the Korean keeper.

83 A wonderful stop by Theoklitos to keep out a close range strike from Hiroshi.

85 Thompson caught offside as the Victory look for number three.

86 Simone blatantly obstructed in the area by Pantelidis. The Victory man gets away with it as nothing given.

87 Vargas heads clear inswinging cross from the left. The goalscorer's had a fine night.

89 Melbourne change. Off goes Celeski to be replaced by Daniel Vasilevski.

90 Chunnam strike comes off the heel of Muscat and is booted clear.

90 Ju Kwangyoun booked for diving inside the area as he goes down under a Vargas challenge.

There will be three added minutes.

93 Another wayward strike whistles harmlessly over the Melbourne crossbar. Only seconds remaining....That's it, it's all over.

FULL-TIME Melbourne off to the perfect start in the Champions League with a 2-0 triumph. Goals from Kevin Muscat and Roddy Vargas proved decisive and really Ernie Merrick's men should have had more. The home side had much the better of the first half but allowed the South Korean side to work their way back into the contest in the opening 20 minutes of the second half. More composed finishing could have seen the Victory in trouble but Vargas' goal came at exactly the right time. Three points and a clean sheet represents a good night's work and Melbourne can go into their next Champions League challenge with confidence.