Victory were efficient in defence, combative in midfield and lethal up front against a luckless Wanderers who produced plenty of nice football but were let down by their powder puff attack.

Brendon Santalab had numerous chances to score but didn't take them. If he needed any tips on how to finish he only needed to glance to the other end of the pitch where a ruthless Berisha showed  how to exploit all  opportunities.

Wanderers almost got off to a dream start in the opening minute after a mix up at the heart of the Victory defence. Leigh Broxham played a pass back to Alan Baro which caught the Spanish centre back short, allowing Santalab to nip in and win the ball. The veteran striker drove towards goal with just Lawrence Thomas to beat but fired his shot wide.

Victory boss Kevin Muscat had given his German import Maxi Beister his first start since moving to the A-League, and the wide man looked to make a mark early, turning and shooting in the sixth minute after a Jason Geria pass.

Santalab went into referee Chris Beath's notebook inside  10 minutes after a heavy challenge on Baro as the hosts looked to press forward.

Tony Popovic's side came close to taking the lead in the 11th minute after Bruno Pinatares found Jumpei Kusukami , who set up Jack Clisby for a shot which beat Thomas but cannoned  off the post.

The Wanderers sought to impose themselves on the game and Santalab's yellow card was proving no inhibitor to his aggressive  approach .

Much of the guile, however, came from the deft feet of Argentinian playmaker Nicolas Martinez. Small in stature but expansive in vision, the midfielder was prompting, passing, finding angles and trying to prise holes in the Victory rearguard.

Santalab fired at Thomas in the 20th minute, but moments later Victory almost snatched the lead on the break when Fahid Ben Khalfallah's curling shot at the other end forced a stretching save from Andrew Redmayne, who just managed to tip the ball over the bar.

Redmayne was off his line smartly to come and claim a cross from Ben Khalfallah when  Berisha bore down on goal as Victory began to find some momentum.

Beister backed himself in with a long range effort, but it was his next which paid the best possible dividend. The German  let fly from 30 metres out with a rasping drive which Redmayne reached but could only parry into the path of  Berisha. The Albanian needed little encouragement to tuck the rebound into the net.

Wanderers captain Dimas took a leaf out of Beister's book immediately from the restart with a powerful drive which flew just over the bar. Santalab then had a great chance to level  when Nichols cross found him unmarked in front of goal, but he headed straight at Thomas when any deviation would have seem him hit the target.

Martinez then went close after a neat passing move which he finished by lashing a shot over the bar.

Santalab's profligacy continued towards the interval when, after a cutback from Scott Neville, he again hit the ball over the bar.

Wanderers began the second period in similar vein, creating some neat attacking moves with good combinations but failing to find the right final ball or penetrating pass to finish off their approach work.

Bu they had to be wary at the back as Victory broke at pace, Aritz Borda producing a timely challenge to just deny Ben Khalfallah as he chased down a through ball.

Jason Geria then got forward to good effect down Victory's right flank, went past Clisby and created confusion in the Wanderers defence although neither James Troisi nor Beister could take advantage.

Beister  gave way after an hour to Jail Ingham as Kusukami tried to kick start Wanderers push for the leveller when he broke at pace and threaded through a pass to Santalab, but the move came to nothing.

Wanderers task became even harder with 25 minutes remaining when Victory doubled its advantage, with Berisha again doing the damage.

Ingham found himself in space on the right and slung over an inch perfect delivery. Berisha stole between Jonathan Aspropotamitis and Borda and rose to head past Redmayne for his second goal of the night.

Ingham tested Redmayne with a well-struck shot which the goalkeeper tipped round the post, but was then lucky to avoid being sent off after he lost his temper and kicked out at Aspropotamitis after the pair clashed on the edge of the penalty area. Referee Beath stopped the game for some time as he separated a throng of players before finally issuing a yellow, not a red, card.

Wanderers should have pulled one goal back with nine minutes remaining when Clisby was played through on the left. Thomas parried his shot, and Nichols could not turn the ball home as Baro cleared it off the line.

It simply was not the Wanderers night, as straight away Victory went up the other end and extended their lead further – and once more it was Berisha on target.

The striker  chased down a long clearance which had been headed forward, outmuscled two Wanderers defenders and then fired home sweetly off the outside of his right foot to put the result beyond any doubt.