Del Piero scores winner on his 39th birthday
All five goals were scored in the first half as Sydney ended a run of three consecutive losses.
SYDNEY (AP) - Sydney FC captain and former Juventus star Alessandro Del Piero celebrated his 39th birthday with the winning goal from a first-half penalty in his 10-man side s 3-2 win over the Melbourne Victory on Saturday.
All five goals were scored in the first half as Sydney ended a run of three consecutive losses.
Sydney played a man down from the 25th minute when Marc Warren was given a straight red card after bringing down Connor Pain as Pain approached the Sydney goal.
Shannon Cole scored a first-half goal to give Western Sydney a 1-0 win over the Melbourne Heart and leave the Wanderers in first place ahead of Sunday s final match of the round between the Central Coast Mariners and Brisbane. The Roar trail the Wanderers by two points.
The last-place Heart are winless in 10 matches and without a goal in five hours of football. There are also reports that John Aloisi s coaching job is in jeopardy. But an upbeat Aloisi said his side had played well and predicted better things.
"Hitting the crossbar twice ... when you re creating that many chances against Western Sydney who are the most organized side in the league, then you re doing something right and we ll get better," Aloisi said. "The goals will come. We re five games in and 22 to go, there s plenty of points to be won."
Andrew Durante scored in the fourth minute for Wellington at home, but the Phoenix could only manage a 1-1 draw with Perth Glory after Ryo Nagai s 29th-minute goal.
The Newcastle Jets beat Adelaide United 2-1. Kew Jaliens gave the visiting Jets a 1-0 lead and Adam Taggert put Newcastle up 2-0 in the 52nd before Fabio Ferreira scored Adelaide s only goal in the 71st minute.
