Adam Taggart’s first-half goal failed to prevent Glory from slipping to a 2-1 defeat against Brisbane Roar in a bruising Isuzu UTE A-League battle at HBF Park on Friday evening.
Click HERE for match video highlights.
Click HERE for Adam Griffiths’ post-match reaction.
The home skipper fired his side in front just before the halfway point of the opening period, equalling Andy Keogh’s all-time ALM club record of 59 goals in the process.
But a hotly-disputed penalty, converted by Chris Long, soon drew Brisbane level and shortly after the restart, the impressive Sam Klein bagged what proved to be the winner with a looping header.
Roared on by a bumper crowd of over 12,000, the men in purple threw everything at Roar in the latter stages, but were unable to find a way through and secure a share of the spoils.
Just as they did against the Mariners a week earlier, Glory began the game brightly and were good value for the opening goal which arrived 19 minutes in.
Rhys Bozinovski won an important header in midfield, Ostler helped the ball on with a sublime flick and Taggart strode into the box before calmly picking out the bottom corner.
Any notion that Glory were set to enjoy another comfortable night, however, were soon dispelled as Roar hit back in controversial circumstances.
Taggart was adjudged to have handled Klein’s shot in the box, with what looked like an extremely harsh decision eventually confirmed after a referral to VAR.
The Shed did their best to put Long off as he stepped up to to take the spot kick, but the Englishman nervelessly found the net to lock it back up at 1-1.
That penalty seemed to throw Glory out of their stride and they were dealt another blow five minutes into the second half when a long throw prompted a scramble in the box and Klein climbed highest to nod past Matt Sutton.
As the game moved into its final quarter, Adam Griffiths’ side began to recover their early zest and came close to restoring parity when Tom Lawrence sent Taggart racing in on goal, but the angle was against the Glory man and Dean Bouzanis was able to parry his shot away.
Moments later, Bouzanis was called into action again, this time to block a hooked volley from Nicholas Pennington and at that stage, it looked as if Glory were poised to make it 2-2.
But instead, Roar’s rugged and uncompromising defence held firm and they almost snatched a third goal right at the death when Noah Maieroni’s effort was brilliantly saved by Sutton.
Match Details
Isuzu UTE A-League 2025/26 Season Round 13
Perth Glory 1 (Taggart 19′) Brisbane Roar 2 (Long (pen) 30′, Klein 50′)
Half-time: 1-1
HBF Park
Attendance: 12594
Friday 16 January 2026
Referee: Adam Kersey
Perth Glory: 29.Matt SUTTON (gk), 2.Charbel SHAMOON, 3.Sam SUTTON (15.Zach LISOLAJSKI 56′), 4.Scott WOOTTON, 7.Nicholas PENNINGTON, 18.Rhys BOZINOVSKI (10.Luke AMOS 81′), 20.Trent OSTLER (25.Sebastian DESPOTOVSKI 56′), 22.Adam TAGGART (c), 34.Tom LAWRENCE, 39.Giovanni DE ABREU (16.Gabriel POPOVIC 90′), 45.Brian KALTAK
Substitutes not used: 17.Arion SULEMANI, 24.Andriano LEBIB, 40.Ryan WARNER (gk)
Yellow Cards: De Abreu, Pennington, Lawrence, Amos
Red Cards: None
Brisbane Roar: 1.Dean BOUZANIS (GK), 2.Youstin Delfin SALAS GOMEZ, 3.Dimitri VALKANIS, 6.Austin LUDWIK, 8.Samuel KLEIN, 9.Christopher LONG (17. Justin VIDIC 72′), 10. Georgios VRAKAS (44.Jordan LAUTON 90+3′), 13.Henry HORE (41.Emmett SHAW 84′), 19. Michael RUHS (16.Matthew DENCH 72′), 23. James McGARRY, 31.Noah MAIERONI
Substitutes not used: 11. Macklin FREKE (GK), 15.Hosine BILITY, 30.Quinn MACNICOL
Yellow Cards: Klein, McGarry, Vrakas
Red Cards: None
#ONEGlory
ALM Match Wrap: Glory come up short in battle with Brisbane
