Adelaide United have recorded their first win in Melbourne in over four years, returning to form with a clinical 2-0 win over the Heart at AAMI Park to close the gap on league leaders Brisbane.
The Reds' long losing streak against Victory is becoming the stuff of legend, but they have triumphed in their two games against the Heart, both times defying both weight of possession and shots at goal to prevail.
In this match, they took an early lead through Robbie Cornthwaite, who latched onto a Cassio free kick in the fifth minute, before sitting back and watching the home side pepper the goal without reward for much of the next hour.
Just as Heart looked a real shot at getting something out of the game after a string of chances tested Reds' keeper Eugene Galekovic, the visitors bobbed up with a second on 73 minutes after an audacious chip from substitute Iain Ramsey was initially cleared by Aziz Behich, only for Marcos Flores to follow up and put the ball into the net.
The result was as much a reflection of the naivety of a young Heart side which was unable to turn their dominance into goals as it was a tribute to Adelaide's professionalism.
This was far from the Reds best performance of the season, but coach Rini Coolen would have been pleased that after three losses in four games, they were able to break their long Victorian drought and keep in touch with the Roar, who play North Queensland in Townsville on Saturday night. Adelaide return home to host Gold Coast United next Friday.
Heart, who slump to successive losses for the first time in their short history, remain fifth regardless of results elsewhere this weekend and now undertake a tough trip to Wellington for a clash with Phoenix next Wednesday before hosting Sydney next Saturday.
Melbourne Heart 0
Adelaide United 2 (Cornthwaite 5, Flores 73)
Crowd: 6538 at AAMI Park