Adam Taggart’s fourth goal of the season was not enough to prevent visitors Western Sydney Wanderers from claiming maximum points as they ran out 2-1 winners at HBF Park on Tuesday evening.
View full match highlights HERE
View David Zdrilic’s post-match media conference HERE
The result was harsh on a Glory side who battled back well after falling behind to an own-goal from the luckless Andriano Lebib with just four minutes on the clock.
Taggart clipped home a Josh Risdon cross shortly after the restart to make it 1-1 and at that stage, David Zdrilic’s men looked poised to push on and make it back-to-back wins having accounted for Auckland FC four days earlier.
But instead it was the visitors who struck, Zac Sapsford getting in behind and rounding Oli Sail before neatly finding the net to claim what proved to be the winner.
On what was a comparatively mild summer evening in the West, the opening goal for Wanderers arrived in bizarre fashion as many supporters were still finding their seats.
Sail managed to parry a close-range effort from Brandon Borrello, but in his attempt to clear the loose ball in a crowded box, Tomi Mrcela could only divert it towards goal where it struck Lebib and flew into the net.
Glory responded by creating a number of half chances as the first half wore on, Zac Lisolajski firing a cross-shot wide of the far post before teenage midfielder Will Freney, on his starting debut, was similarly off-target with a long-range strike.
David Zdrilic’s side maintained that momentum as the second half commenced and Taggart had already shot over from a Trent Ostler pull-back when he levelled things up in the 48th minute.
Risdon it was who made strides down the right before delivering an inviting cross to the near post and the skipper showed all of his predatory instincts to get in front of his marker and clip the ball past Lawrence Thomas in the Wanderers’ goal.
The momentum appeared to have swung decisively in Glory’s favour at that stage and yet somehow they found themselves trailing once again just shy of the hour-mark as Sapsford raced through, retained his composure and found the net in a one-on-one situation.
But again the men in purple roused themselves and they came agonisingly close to making it 2-2 twice in as many minutes.
The first chance fell to Lisolajski who headed a Gomulka cross just wide and then Taggart pounced on a loose ball in the box, span neatly, but was unable to keep his fierce shot down.
The hosts continued to throw bodies forward and launch balls into the box throughout the latter stages, but it was ultimately not to be their night as Wanderers dug deep to hold them out and lock down a fifth win of the season.
Match Details
Isuzu UTE A-League 2024/25 Season Round 14
Perth Glory 1 (Taggart 48′) Western Sydney Wanderers 2 (Lebib (o.g.) 4′, Sapsford 59′)
Half-time: 0-1
HBF Park
Tuesday 14 January 2025
Attendance: 5147
Referee: Shane Skinner
Perth Glory: 1.Oli SAIL (gk), 7.Nicholas PENNINGTON (6.Brandon O’NEILL 16′), 12.Taras GOMULKA, 15.Zach LISOLAJSKI, 19.Josh RISDON, 20.Trent OSTLER (21.Abdul FAISAL 89′), 22.Adam TAGGART, 24.Andriano LEBIB, 25.Jaylan PEARMAN (14.Nathanael BLAIR 89′), 27.Will FRENEY (31.Joel ANASMO 64′), 29.Tomi MRCELA
Substitutes not used: 3.Anas HAMZAOUI, 13.Cameron COOK (gk), 16.Adam BUGARIJA
Yellow Cards: Gomulka
Red Cards: None
Western Sydney Wanderers: 20.Lawrence THOMAS (GK), 4.Alex BONETIG, 7.Zac SAPSFORD (9.Marcus ANTONSSON, 62′), 14.Nicolas MILANOVIC (21.Aydan HAMMOND 71′), 18.Oscar PRIESTMAN, 19. Jack CLISBY, 22.Anthony PANTAZOPOULOS, 23.Bozhidar KRAEV (27.James TEMELKOVSKI 89′), 25.Josh BRILLANTE, 26.Brandon BORRELLO (10.Alex BADOLATO 89′), 64.Juan MATA (13.Dean PELEKANOS 62′)
Substitutes not used: , 30.Jordan HOLMES (GK), 31. Aidan SIMMONS
Yellow Cards: Clisby
Red Cards: None
#ONEGlory
