Langerak...a keeper for the future

Wednesday 31 March, 2010 marked the coming of age for young Melbourne Victory goalkeeper Mitch Langerak. The contest, a must win match for Melbourne against Japanese outfit Kawasaki Frontale was a chance for Ernie Merrick's side to salvage some pride in a competition where they were yet to pick up a solitary point. Enter, Mitch Langerak.
No doubt this was his finest performance of his so-far short career. A string of saves in the games opening 20 minutes kept the Victory in the contest and allowed them to hit the lead early in the second half through a Kevin Muscat penalty. However some of his finest work for the night was yet to come. With Kawasaki piling on the pressure looking for an equaliser to keep their own ACL chances alive, Langerak produced two world-class saves to protect his sides meger lead. Melbourne have this 1-0 win thanks to one man and one man only. It has been an incredible season for Langerak who has barely put a foot wrong since edging out New Zealand shot-stopper Glen Moss out of the Victory's starting XI. Ernie Merrick, Gary Cole and the brains trust in Melbourne will do well to hold onto this fine yonug keeper.

He is bound for bigger and better things and no doubt one day in the not too distant future we will see Melbourne's young custodian standing in between the posts for the Socceroos.