{"id":52446,"date":"2026-07-17T06:07:55","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T06:07:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/52446\/"},"modified":"2026-07-17T06:07:55","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T06:07:55","slug":"victory-win-pre-season-opener-headlined-by-sawyer-hat-trick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/52446\/","title":{"rendered":"Victory win pre-season opener headlined by Sawyer hat-trick"},"content":{"rendered":"

Giovanni Savarese\u2019s tenure started with a 0-5 pre-season win for Melbourne Victory over Caroline Springs George Cross on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n

Striker Harry Sawyer netted three times in three minutes late on, adding real gloss to the scoreline and to goals either side of half-time from Charles Nduka and Jack Mihailidis. <\/p>\n

The Club\u2019s new A-League Men\u2019s Head Coach utilised 22 players during the hit-out at DEKA Park \u2013 City Vista Pavilion & Sports Field. <\/p>\n

Team News<\/p>\n

There was a familiar look to the visitor\u2019s line-up out in the western suburbs, with Philipp Ziereis the only new recruit to feature in the starting XI. Savarese would, though, introduce a sequence of changes during the interval and again on the hour mark as minutes are managed at the embryonic stage of pre-season. <\/p>\n

Match Action<\/p>\n

George Cross, in the cut and thrust of their NPL effort, opened on the front foot and rattled the crossbar inside four minutes, but from that moment on, it was all Victory. <\/p>\n

Either side of a close Nduka attempt, after he harried for possession, both Franco Lino and Santos forced smart, low stops from the home team\u2019s goalkeeper. <\/p>\n

The gloveman then made another save from Santos in the 27th minute, only for this one to loop more up and than out, allowing Nduka to tap in for the opener. <\/p>\n

Half-time: Caroline Springs George Cross 0 \u2013 1 Melbourne Victory<\/p>\n

There were five changes at the break, as Matias Aloisi, Jack Duncan and Brendan Hamill, along with recent signings Harry Shillington and Sawyer, were brought on. <\/p>\n

After a bitty start to the second 45, the Head Coach opted for further changes, calling up John Radimisis, Louis D\u2019Arrigo, Oliver Dragicevic, Mikey Ghossaini, Jack Mihailidis and Alex Lee.<\/p>\n

Now with a full complement of fresh legs, the tempo naturally upped, and first Mihailidis on two occasions and a Sawyer volley threatened a second.<\/p>\n

This arrived 12 minutes from time, when Lee\u2019s sweeping centre was tucked home side-footed by Mihailidis at the far post. <\/p>\n

Mihailidis swiftly turned provider as the away side added a third goal. His right-footed centre was expertly headed in by Sawyer. <\/p>\n

And the centre forward made it a rapid-fire treble thanks to a pair of finishes that wrong-footed the \u2018keeper. <\/p>\n

Match Details<\/p>\n

Caroline Springs George Cross 0<\/p>\n

Melbourne Victory 5 (NDUKA 27\u2032, MIHAILIDIS 78\u2032, SAWYER 86\u2032, 87\u2032, 88\u2032)<\/p>\n

Melbourne Victory starting XI: Jack WARSHAWSKY (Jack DUNCAN 46\u2032), Joshua INSERRA (Harry SHILLINGTON 46\u2032), Philipp ZIEREIS (Brendan HAMILL 46\u2032), Jason DAVIDSON (John RADIMISIS 60\u2032), Franco LINO (Matias ALOISI 46\u2032), Jordi VALADON (Louis D\u2019ARRIGO 60\u2032), Xavier STELLA (Oliver DRAGICEVIC 60\u2032), Keegan JELACIC (Mikey GHOSSAINI 60\u2032), Matthew GRIMALDI (Jack MIHAILIDIS 60\u2032), SANTOS (Alex LEE 60\u2032), Charles NDUKA (Harry SAWYER 46\u2032).<\/p>\n

Substitutes not used: Theo LIMBERIS, Daniel MATINA.<\/p>\n

Booking: None.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

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