Ochieng broke clear after Sergi Guardiola's brilliant first-time ball, to net the winner on 87 minutes and the 20-year-old's first career goal.

The Reds had to fight back after conceding early when Bruno Fornaroli placed the visitors in front on four minutes, with Ruon Tongyik influential again.

But the lead was soon cancelled out when Isaias’ free kick on the wing found Dylan McGowan in the box to head it past Dean Bouzanis on 10 minutes.

Sergio Cirio almost kicked things off in the second minute when Ben Garuccio’s ball found the Spaniard only for his goal to be called offside. Replays suggested he was onside and it was Henrique who went too early.

But in the fourth minute Tongyik's through ball was dummied by Tim Cahill and received by Kamau, with the final cross finished by Fornaroli.

The lead did not last long as Tongyik fouled Cirio on the wing which resulted in McGowan equalising from the resultant set piece.

In the 18th minute, Cahill almost put the visitors in front with a trademark header when the ball came to him from an acute angle from Ivan Franjic, only to land on top of the net.

The Reds made a meal of a golden opportunity on the half hour mark when Michael Jakobsen was circled by Cirio and Henrique which allowed Ryan Kitto to dispossess the Dane only to be denied by Bouzanis.

Another dubious decision was made by the linesman minutes later when Luke Brattan played in Nico Colazo only for his goal to be disallowed.

On the brink of half-time Isaias had a through ball which saw Cirio through one-on-one with Bouzanis, but the City keeper denied the Spaniard once again.

City pressed hard in the second half with Kamau and Franjic both squandering chances in the final 15 minutes.

But the Reds would steal their second win of the season courtesy of Ochieng who scored after a counter-attack saw Guardiola weight a first-time ball to the onrushing right-back.

Adelaide managed to contain as Cirio almost sealed the deal in injury time.

City’s loss could widen the gap on the table with the top two, with Victory sitting on second five points ahead with two games in hand.

The Reds will sit second last temporarily and will look to thwart undefeated Sydney FC away next week.

City are back at home and lock horns with struggling Central Coast Mariners.

Melbourne City: 20. BOUZANIS Dean, 3. ROSE Josh, 5. FRANJIC Ivan, 6. MALIK Osama, 9. COLAZO Nico (65’ 27. BRANDAN Fernando), 11. KAMAU Bruce (84’ 10. CACERES Anthony), 17. CAHILL Tim, 21. TONGYIK Ruon, 22. JAKOBSEN Michael, 23. FORNAROLI Bruno, 26. BRATTAN Luke

Adelaide United: 1. GALEKOVIC Eugene, 2. MARRONE Michael, 4. MCGOWAN Dylan, 5. REGAN Taylor, 7. HENRIQUE (12. OCHIENG Mark), 8. ISAIAS, 11. CIRIO Sergio, 19, GARUCCIO Ben, 22. KITTO Ryan (61’ 10. CARRUSCA Marcelo), 24. O’DOHERTY Jordan (61’ 9. GUARDIOLA Sergi), 25. HOLLAND James

Attendance: 10,607

Referee: Jonathan Barreiro