Jamie Maclaren's brace earned Melbourne City three points on the road at Bankwest Stadium as they defeated Western Sydney Wanderers 3-2 in an enthralling encounter.
Wanderers fans couldn't have asked for a better start. Two minutes into the match Mitchell Duke sprayed a lovely cross-field ball to Bruce Kamau who sent it back into the box first time for the waiting Kwame Yeboah.
After a short VAR check, Yeboah celebrated his first goal of the A-League season.
Melbourne City equalised through a penalty from Jamie Maclaren and took the lead as the Socceroo set up Josh Brillante for a simple tap in.
Celebrations were short lived however as Kwame Yeboah rifled home a volley to level the score, after Alex Meier set him up with a cushioned header.
The match hit fever pitch in stoppage time, as Lachlan Wales blitzed past Daniel Wilmering to cut back for Maclaren who slotted it past Daniel Lopar.
WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS
Daniel Lopar - 6
Lopar tipped Joshua Brillante's long range effort over the bar in the first half and was tested by Cabrera in the second half.
Daniel Wilmering - 6
Wilmering got pulled out of position on occasion by Craig Noone to open up the space in behind him. As the game progressed his attacking play improved.
Patrick Ziegler - 5.5
Ziegler's miscommunication with Georgievski left Maclaren free in the box who made no mistake with his finish.
Dylan McGowan - 5.5
McGowan didn't deal with the danger of Luna and Maclaren well enough in the corner as Maclaren skipped away to set up Brillante's goal.
Daniel Georgievski - 6.5
Showing great tenacity as always, Georgievski showed big improvements from round fives loss to Western United. A splendid cross to Meier set up Yeboah's equaliser and a braveheart performance which spawn a million memes from his hastily taped-up chin.
Nicholas Sullivan - 7
Sullivan was back in the squad after a short break through injury and was doing a terrific job tracking back to man mark Melbourne City's Josh Brillante.
Pirmin Schwegler - 6
His general play was very positive but gave away a penalty in the second half. He may look back at the replay and protest his innocence for a long time.
Nicolai Müller - 6.5
Müller looks to be hitting his stride for the Wanderers. It may have come as a coincidence that he was playing at number nine ahead of countryman Alex Meier.
Bruce Kamau - 7
Kamau's technique on his first time cross to Yeboah was what dreams are made of and looked a totally different player to last season.
Mitchell Duke - 6.5
Duke spread a pinpoint ball over to Kamau who timed his cross perfectly to Yeboah to open the scoring inside two minutes.
Kwame Yeboah - 7
After all the exceptional work by Duke and Kamau, Yeboah still had to put the ball in the net, and he did ghosting in behind Scott Galloway. He added another with a blistering volley to bring the scores to 2-2.
SUBSTITUTES
Keanu Baccus - 6
Baccus replaced Sullivan who had a good match. His interplay with Meier and fellow midfielders may be what the Wanderers were missing.
Alex Meier - 6
Meier was introduced minutes after City took the lead and what an impact he had. His link up play with Baccus helped spread the ball wide for Georgievski, who found Meier's head in the box to set up Yeboah's volley.
MELBOURNE CITY
Dean Bouzanis - 6.5
Bouzanis was equal to Daniel Georgievski's curling strike that was inches from nestling into the top corner.
Scott Jamieson - 6
His performance was neither here nor there. Despite City's possessionm it was never down Jamieson's avenue. He was occupied with a lot of pressure when Bruce Kamau was running towards him.
Curtis Good - 5.5
Good's passing was below average, turning over possession a number of times in needless positions.
Harrison Delbridge - 6
Delbridge was among a litany of Melbourne City defenders who ball-watched as Kwame Yeboah opened the scoring. His performance settled as the match wore on.
Scott Galloway - 6
Galloway let his concentration down for just a moment as Kwame Yeboah snuck in behind him to finish a beautiful Wanderers move.
Joshua Brillante - 7
Brillante had a sizzling strike from outside the box tipped over by Lopar in Melbourne City's first meaningful strike on goal. Brillante popped up at the right moment to sink a square ball into the net to send City in front.
Rostyn Griffiths - 5.5
Rostyn Griffiths had a successful passing game with City controlling most of the ball but it was mostly to his defensive partners or sideways. Lucky to stay on the park after his blow up with McGowan.
Javier Cabrera - 5.5
Cabrera was on his toes with his quick shifting of his body to wriggle past Wanderers midfielders. It wasn't enough to create many chances for City tonight.
Craig Noone - 6
Noone didn't have the attacking opportunity or intent like he usually does. That's not of his own fault, City struggled to create chances the whole match.
Denis Genreau - 6
Genreau was drifting wide left to pick up the ball and interchange with Javier Cabrera finding avenues into the box from there on occasion. He earned City a penalty to level the score early in the second half.
Jamie Maclaren - 8
Maclaren stepped up and scored from the spot to equalise for Melbourne City. He added an assist for Brillante's goal in a much improved second half. The cherry on top however, was the eventual winner, a beautiful pivot and strike sent City fans into raptures in stoppage time.
SUBSTITUTES
Adrian Luna - 6
Luna's pressure saw McGowan struggle to clear and fed Maclaren to set up City's second.
Nathaniel Atkinson - N/A
Lachlan Wales - 6
Lachie Wales spotted Wilmering out of position and infiltrated in behind, cutting back to Maclaren who scored.
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