Vidosic seals 2-1 Roar win over Victory
Rising star Dario Vidosic kept Queensland Roar's A-League playoff hopes alive with a dramatic injury-time winner against Melbourne Victory at Telstra Dome.
Needing to win its last two matches to sneak into the playoffs, the Roar led for much of the match following gun-for-hire Damian Mori's 18th-minute strike.
But when Melbourne marksman Archie Thompson finally found a way past impressive Queensland debutant keeper Tando Velaphi late in the second half it seemed that Frank Farina's team would come up short.
That was until Vidosic silenced the 28,937-strong crowd with a coolly-taken goal in the 92nd minute, sealing the 2-1 win.
Melbourne remains 17 points clear atop the table, although it has now won only one of its last six home games.
With finals hopes resting on a knife-edge, the Roar had the better of the early exchanges.
But the home side twice went within a whisker of going a goal up in the 11th minute.
Velaphi - who signed a short-term deal midweek after regular custodian Liam Reddy was suspended - made the first of a series of fine saves, diving to tip away a strike from Adrian Caceres that looked bound for the top left corner.
From the ensuing corner by Kristian Sarkies, Melbourne captain Kevin Muscat powered a header into the crossbar.
The Roar went ahead in the 18th minute with a classic poacher's goal from Mori.
A well-placed pass from Vidosic found Mori who was presented with a gilt-edged opportunity when Melbourne defender Steve Pantelidis stumbled over.
Mori took full advantage, smashing a left-footed shot past Victory keeper Michael Theoklitos.
It was Mori's first goal in seven games for Queensland, which he joined mid-season after notching six goals in a prolific eight-match stint for Central Coast.
The Roar could have doubled the advantage six minutes later, only for Theoklitos to make a good save on a shot from Matthew McKay.
Thompson and fellow striker Daniel Allsopp both spurned chances to grab an equaliser for the Victory before Caceres forced another top-notch diving save from Velaphi in the 40th minute as the visitors took their one-goal advantage to the interval.
Velaphi began the second half saving further shots from Sarkies and Thompson.
Queensland midfielder Ryan Griffin picked up a yellow card for time-wasting, as the home team got increasingly frustrated in its search for an equaliser.
Thompson finally got Melbourne back on level terms in the 79th minute after the Roar defence failed to properly clear a cross from Fred.
But the visitors refused to lie down and were rewarded with Vidosic beat Theoklitos in the second-last minute.
Queensland moves from fifth to third on the table midway through the penultimate round of matches.
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