Besart Berisha goal crucial as Melbourne Victory beat Adelaide

Melbourne Victory continued their surge toward the A-League finals, surviving a late scare from bottom-of-the-table Adelaide United to claim a 2-1 victory.

Victory's two-goal lead was halved in the 90th minute when Adelaide's Tarek Elrich pounced on some loose defending by Jason Geria. The Reds continued to press their case but ran out of time to claim an equaliser, with Victory climbing to within eight points of leaders Sydney FC.

Victory had dominated most of the game but were unable to break through until the 65th minute, when Marco Rojas coolly converted a free kick.

Rojas sent a curling shot into the top corner from just outside the box after being brought down by Dylan McGowan, who was booked for the late challenge.

Scott Barbour/Getty Images

---

The winger continued to cause headaches and almost scored again minutes later with a header that hit the crossbar.

Besart Berisha made it 2-0 in the 81st minute with a sublime finish off the outside of his foot from 12 yards.

Already the competition's leading goal scorer, Berisha also celebrated his 50th goal for Victory and 98th in the competition. He had been kept quiet earlier but didn't waste his only clear opportunity of the game.

A Victory goal had seemed inevitable in the first half but United's teenage goalkeeper Daniel Margush saved his side's skin on several occasions.