Mata magic lights up spectacular Victory derby win

Anna Harrington | February 21, 2026

The magical Juan Mata has scored one of the greatest ever A-League Men goals in a derby master class that delivered Melbourne Victory a 3-1 win over Melbourne City.

In a vintage performance, Mata scored a match-winning brace and teed up Santos for the game-icing third in stoppage time.

But Mata’s opening goal had to be seen to be believed.

The incredible Spanish maestro chipped City goalkeeper Patrick Beach from at least 40 yards to give Victory the lead in the 21st minute and deliver a goal that will go down in league history.

It was Mata’s first goal at AAMI Park and his second of three goals for the club, while the 37-year-old has a league-leading nine assists and looms as the Johnny Warren Medal favourite.

City young gun Marcus Younis threatened to steal the show, teeing up Max Caputo to equalise in the 32nd minute. 

But World Cup winner Mata wasn’t done yet, fizzing a scintillating strike from just outside the box past Beach for the winner in the 64th minute, before teeing up Santos to ice victory.

Victory’s dominant performance (19 shots to six) sends them to fifth on 27 points while City (22) sit seventh.

Beach pulled off a huge save at point-blank range to deny Charles Nduka in the 17th minute.

But there was little the Socceroos goalkeeper could do about Mata’s magical opener.

Nishan Velupillay pressed German Ferreyra and outmuscled the Argentinian, forcing the ball into the path of Mata, who spotted Beach off his line, shot first time and caressed it into the open goal.

Former Chelsea and Manchester United star Mata almost repeated the dose in the 24th minute when he bamboozled both City centre-backs and forced Beach into another save.

Denis Genreau clattered a fierce strike off the crossbar in the 29th.

City equalised when Younis burst down the right and whipped in a cross for Caputo, who rose over Joshua Rawlins to turn home a superb header.

Medin Memeti should have put City in front in the 37th when Younis again broke free and squared a ball that begged to be tapped home.

But Memeti hit the tap-in poorly and Victory goalkeeper Jack Warshawsky brilliantly clawed the ball away.

For Mata’s second, the Spanish superstar received the ball from Matt Grimaldi, took a silky touch then fizzed an unstoppable strike past Beach.

City young gun Kavian Rahmani (lower back) was forced off in the 78th minute.

Mata had one final say when he brilliantly released Santos down the left.

The Brazilian cut around Ferreyra and curled home Victory’s third.

Mata received a standing ovation when he made way in the 91st minute.

Victory next host Adelaide on Friday night while City travel to face Auckland FC on Saturday.