Marcin Budzinski hits brace as Melbourne City thrash Adelaide

Forgotten marquee Marcin Budzinski and recent acquisition Dario Vidosic each scored twice in Melbourne City's 5-0 A-League rout of Adelaide United.

City surged to their biggest win of the season at AAMI Park, producing their best outing on a night when their leading goal scorer wasn't available to start.

With 13-goal striker Ross McCormack on the bench, coach Warren Joyce's decision to play Budzinski up front on Sunday night was a masterstroke.

On his first start in eight rounds, the Polish midfielder's deflected long-range strike and a poacher's effort before half-time set up City.

Vidosic's late howitzer and one-on-one finish put City out of sight, while McCormack, deemed unfit to start, came off the bench to net a 30-yard screamer.

"Goals ... it changes how people look at it, but I think we've had several performances like that this season but not scored the goals," Joyce said. "We played a lot of really good football in the first half ... there were still some bad misses. We could have had more."

Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

---

It wasn't all positive for City, with young utility player Nathaniel Atkinson stretchered off with what looked to be a serious ankle injury in the second half.

But this was a five-star performance, with another man-of-the-match shift from Daniel Arzani.

The 19-year-old set up the opener, picking up the ball out wide and dancing around several defenders before feeding Budzinski, whose shot found the net off Ersan Gulum's back.

On 35 minutes, Nick Fitzgerald crossed for Vidosic, who headed down for Budzinski to score on his second effort.

Adelaide should have scored when Ryan Strain played George Blackwood into a one-on-one situation but he was thwarted by Dean Bouzanis.

Instead, City went on a late rampage. Vidosic scored an incredible volley and goal of the season contender in the 89th minute, his first goal for the club.

Three minutes later, he had his second, cutting inside and curling a shot past the hapless Daniel Margush.

The Reds goalkeeper couldn't be blamed for the final goal, when McCormack made the most of his cameo to score from well outside the box.

The stunning result returned City to third, on 29 points, and set up a blockbuster clash with the second-placed Newcastle Jets on Thursday.

Adelaide remained fifth on 22 points, four adrift of fourth-placed Melbourne Victory.

Coach Marco Kurz said it would not wreck his side's season.

"It's for us a very bad night. A very bad game. But it's only one game," he said.