Overview

• Marcos Junior converted a 52nd-minute penalty after goalkeeper Patrick Beach fouled him, with referee Payam Heydari pointing to the spot.
• Yotaro Nakajima secured the points with an 81st-minute header from a precise Shuto Nakano cross.
• Melbourne City, playing their first competitive match of the new season, created little at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
• Coach Aurelio Vidmar juggled fitness issues as Takeshi Kanamori had limited impact, Elbasan Rashani was left out over conditioning, and Matthew Leckie was substituted after a knock.
• The loss pushes A-League clubs' winless run in Asia's top tier past 692 days, while fellow J-League side Machida Zelvia began with a 1-1 draw against FC Seoul.