Glory produced arguably their best defensive performance of the season to secure a 0-0 draw with Sydney FC in Saturday’s ALM Round 20 clash at HBF Park.
Click HERE for full match highlights
Click HERE for David Zdrilic’s post-match media conference
While neither side was ultimately able to muster a goal, both went close on a number of occasions with Glory ‘keeper Oli Sail saving from second-half substitutes Patryk Klimala, Douglas Costa and Anas Ouahim and Adam Taggart and Nikola Mileusnic both going close at the other end before the break.
Glory Head Coach David Zdrilic opted to hand starting debuts to defensive duo Yuto Misao and Takuya Okamoto, along with midfielder Luke Amos and all three caught the eye as the home side took the game to the Sky Blues right from the off.
Mileusnic went close inside the opening minute, forcing an agile save from Harrison Devenish-Meares with a low drive, before Trent Ostler fired over from a tight angle in what was his 50th ALM appearance for the club.
The men in purple thought they had taken the lead just after the half-hour mark when Taggart’s header was parried by Devenish-Meares and Nicholas Pennington forced the loose ball over the line, but the effort was ruled out for a foul on the ‘keeper.
Glory’s last chance of the first half saw Taggart’s lob drift narrowly over the bar, but although they looked similarly purposeful immediately after the restart, it was Sydney FC who appeared likelier to break the deadlock as the second half wore on.
The in-form Adrian Segecic fizzed a shot just wide on the hour-mark and Sail then produced a fine double save to thwart Klimala following a rapid counter-attack.
Ufuk Talay’s men continued to press in the latter stages and Glory were again grateful to Sail five minutes from time when he kept out Costa’s initial effort, before producing an even better stop to block Ouahim’s follow-up and ensure that the points would be shared.
Match Details
Isuzu UTE A-League 2024-25 Season Round 20
Perth Glory 0 Sydney FC 0
Half-time: 0-0
HBF Park
Saturday 22 February 2025
Attendance: 6889
Referee: Daniel Elder
Perth Glory: 1.Oli SAIL (gk), 4.Tass MOURDOUKOUTAS (19.Josh RISDON 46′), 7.Nicholas PENNINGTON, 10.Nikola MILEUSNIC (11.Hiroaki AOYAMA 59′), 17.Yuto MISAO (3.Anas HAMZAOUI, 85′), 18.Lachie WALES, 20.Trent OSTLER, 21.Luke AMOS (12.Taras GOMULKA 59′), 22.Adam TAGGART, 29.Tomi MRCELA, 36.Takuya OKAMOTO (31.Joel ANASMO 82′)
Substitutes not used: 13.Cameron COOK (gk), 14.Nathanael BLAIR
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
Sydney FC: 12. Harrison DEVENISH-MEARES (gk), 4. Jordan COURTNEY-PERKINS, 7. Adrian SEGECIC (11. Douglas COSTA 66′), 10. Joe LOLLEY, 15. Leo SENA, 16. Joel KING, 17. Anthony CACERES, 21. Zac DE JESUS (37. Will KENNEDY 90+3′), 23. Rhyan GRANT (C), 24. Wataru KAMIJO (8. Anas OUAHIM 66′), 25. Jaiden KUCHARSKI (9.Patryk KLIMALA 46′)
Substitutes not used: 1. Andrew REDMAYNE (gk), 5. Alex GRANT, 36. Mathias MACALLISTER
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
#ONEGlory
