Teenager Kavian Rahmani propelled Melbourne City up to third on the A-League Men’s (ALM) table after claiming the sole goal in his side’s 1-0 win over Newcastle.
The 18-year-old’s well-taken 27th minute strike was just the second in his career as the Victorians withstood a late Jets fightback to claim the three points at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday 6 December.
Goalkeeper Patrick Beach, 22, was a standout for Melbourne, foiling the hosts repeatedly in sapping conditions as the home side fell to a fourth defeat in their past five games.
Beach, who made his Socceroos debut last month, has now kept 18 clean sheets in 36 ALM matches.
With Max Burgess proving dangerous throughout the opening quarter of an hour, the City keeper had to be alert.
But, despite Newcastle starting strongly, Melbourne was gifted a lead it never relented as the game approached the half-hour mark.
Jets centre back Mark Natta got caught trying to play out from the back and Max Caputo was quick to seize on the mistake.
The ball was played into Austrian midfielder Andrea Kuen, who was able to put Rahmani in on goal.
The Melbourne youngster scuffed his goalward shot, however it ricocheted over the line off the woodwork.
City took a 1-0 lead into the break but Newcastle refused to go quietly.
Alex Badolato played in Will Dobson early into the second half.
However, the teenager was unable to test Beach.
The Jets continued to press and thought they had got back on level terms when Burgess went on a mazy run in the 53rd minute.
The attacking playmaker found Lachlan Rose, who rifled home but was left crestfallen when the referee’s assistant put a flag up for offside.
Burgess kept up the pressure on City’s defence with some well-placed passes and the injection of Clayton Taylor from the substitutes’ bench gave Mark Milligan’s side a new lease of life.
Natta clattered the crossbar and Badolato forced a finger-tip save from Beach as Newcastle hunted an equaliser.
But, the City defence held firm to secure the win.
The Jets next play Wellington Phoenix at Sky Stadium on Sunday 14 December.
For more sports stories:
- Knights boost NRLW playing stocks with dual signings
- Island Triathlon Festival returns to Stockton
- Newcastle sports fields get a wet-weather makeover
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