Glory suffered late heartache on Friday evening as stoppage-time goals from Tate Russell and substitute Jordan Lauton sealed a 3-2 win for in-form Western United at HBF Park.
View full match highlights HERE
View David Zdrilic’s post-match media conference HERE
The home side twice led, Adam Taggart bagging his 50th goal in purple just short of the half-hour and substitute Jarrod Carluccio making it 2-1 midway through the second after Matt Grimaldi had equalised for United.
A first home win of the season seemed within reach, but Glory were to be cruelly denied as Russell tapped in from close range and Lauton then produced a stunning scissor kick to win it for the visitors.
Lauton duly received a second yellow card, presumably for inciting the crowd during his goal celebration, but the dismissal came too late in the piece for David Zdrilic’s to gain any advantage from their numerical superiority.
Glory’s run-on side included Oli Sail making his 100th career A-League start and Perth-born 18-year-old Jaylan Pearman on debut and both were to feature prominently throughout a compelling first half.
Sail almost immediately got down well to save from Riku Danzaki before a confident Pearman tried his luck at the other end, firing in a fierce shot which Matthew Sutton did well to parry.
United responded in turn, Noah Botic’s clever flick sending Grimaldi clean through on goal, but again Sail made the save and then Pearman managed to force his way back into the limelight.
Spotting Taggart’s clever run, the midfielder delivered a pinpoint through-ball and the Socceroos frontman duly beat Sutton.
Grimaldi had John Aloisi’s side level within four minutes as he converted Angus Thurgate’s cross, but Glory refused to buckle and after Taggart and Andriano Lebib both went close to making it 2-1 early in the second half, Carluccio found a way through in spectacular style.
There seemed little on for the former Western Sydney Wanderers man when he picked up possession wide out on the left, but he cut inside, raced into the box and defying the tightness of the angle, lifted a shot into the roof of the net.
And yet, having come so close to securing a battling and deserved victory, Glory were instead destined to suffer a bitter defeat as Russell levelled things up and Lauton bagged the most spectacular of winners before seeing red.
Match Details
Isuzu UTE A-League 2024-25 Season Round 11
Perth Glory 2 (Taggart 29′, Carluccio 66′) Western United 3 (Grimaldi 33′, Russell 90+1”, Lauton 90+5′)
Half-time: 1-1
HBF Park
Friday 3 January 2025
Attendance: 4564
Referee: Ben Abraham
Perth Glory: 1.Oli SAIL (gk), 7.Nicholas PENNINGTON, 12.Taras GOMULKA, 15.Zach LISOLAJSKI, 19.Josh RISDON, 20.Trent OSTLER, 22.Adam TAGGART (c), 24.Andriano LEBIB, 25.Jaylan PEARMAN (6.Brandon O’NEILL 60′), 26.Khoa NGO (17.Jarrod CARLUCCIO 46′), 29.Tomi MRCELA
Substitutes not used: 13.Cameron COOK (gk), 14.Nathanael BLAIR, 16.Adam BUGARIJA, 31.Joel ANASMO
Yellow Cards: Risdon, Lebib
Red Cards: None
Western United: 33. Matthew SUTTON (gk), 6. Tomoki IMAI, 7. Ramy NAJJARINE (9. Hiroshi IBUSUKI 46′), 10. Matthew GRIMALDI (37. Luke VICKERY 76′), 13. Tate RUSSELL, 17. Ben GARUCCIO, 19. Noah BOTIC, 23.Rhys BOZINOVSKI (44. Jordan LAUTON 82′), 30. Dylan LEONARD, 32. Angus THURGATE, 77. Riku DANZAKI
Substitutes not used: 1. Tom HEWARD-BELLE (gk), 22. Kane VIDMAR, 24. Michael RUHS, 34. James YORK
Yellow Cards: Lauton
Red Cards: Lauton
#ONEGlory
