Melbourne City’s season of woe is turning from bad to worse, with former academy product Bernardo Oliveira coming back to haunt them in a 2-0 loss to Macarthur.
The Bulls moved to third to strengthen their finals bid but Aurelio Vidmar’s City side are in grave danger of missing the top six altogether.
Friday’s loss at Campbelltown Sports Stadium was their fifth straight game without a win.
The reigning A-League Men premiers have not known a run so barren in almost five years and skipper Jamie Maclaren has now failed to find the net in nine consecutive games.
Without Socceroos duo Mathew Leckie and Marco Tilio, City lacked spark and Maclaren was substituted off with 15 minutes to go.
“We’re just falling short, we’re probably not good enough but I can’t fault the effort,” Vidmar said.
“When things are going poorly up front you can always blame and look at the striker.
“When things are going badly because you concede, you look at the goalkeeper and your defenders but it's a collective effort."
And the fact former City prospect Bernardo sealed their downfall with a well-taken second-half double will do little to soothe the pain.
The first half was a largely drab affair starting 45 minutes late due to a lightning storm.
Marin Jakolis hit the post for City before Macarthur ace Jake Hollman had a goal chalked off for a fractional offside in the only two real incidents of note.
But Macarthur began the second half with a spring in their step and their moment of inspiration came from former City boy Raphael Borgues Rodrigues in the 47th minute.
Heading on a slaloming run down the right flank, the winger slipped past Curtis Good and Vincente Fernandez and let fire at Jamie Young.
The City goalkeeper could only parry the ball away to an on-rushing Bernardo, who fired through a sea of bodies to put the Bulls ahead.
City were increasingly frustrated with their inability to mount a cohesive attack and the Macarthur bench became more aggrieved with the heavy-handed challenges meted out to captain Ulises Davila.
Unperturbed by the physicality, the Mexican magician went on a weaving run into City territory in the 57th minute and was able to slip the ball to Bernardo, who awaited him on the left.
With a first time touch the 19-year-old winger added his second, curling his effort beyond Young and into the bottom corner.
"Bernardo has been quality since he came in and he has fitted in really well with the way we want to play," said Macarthur boss Mile Sterjovski.
"I'm pleased with his performance and he's got a bright future ahead of him.
"I thought we were really dangerous in attack and to keep that clean sheet was perfect."
