ALM Match Wrap: Glory turn on the style to get the better of the Bulls

Gabriel Popovic and Arion Sulemani both scored their maiden A-League goals and Nicholas Pennington also found the net as Glory secured a thrilling 3-1 victory over Finals-hopefuls Macarthur FC at HBF Park.

Click HERE for full match highlights.

Click HERE for Adam Griffiths’ post-match media conference.

After a goalless first half, man-of-the-match Pennington fired the hosts in front and although Luke Vickery duly drew the Bulls level, Popovic restored Glory’s lead with a towering header and substitute Sulemani sealed the victory in stoppage-time with a pinpoint finish.

Their fourth home win of the season lifts Adam Griffiths’ side to tenth spot on the ladder with two games of the regular season still to play, while Macarthur’s Finals hopes were left hanging by a thread.

Neither side was quite able to assert their superiority during a largely even first half in which both goalkeepers were by and large untested.

Glory’s best efforts came from Pennington who dragged a shot wide from a promising position and Jaiden Kucharski who sent two powerful efforts fizzing over the bar.

At the other end, meanwhile, Brian Kaltak almost gifted the Bulls an own-goal before recovering to hack the ball off the line and Matt Sutton made a regulation save to foil Rafael Duran.

Those limited chances aside, the main drama was provided by the match officials and VAR, with two key decisions in Glory’s favour both being overturned on review.

The first saw the straight red card shown to Luke Brattan for a challenge on Pennington rightly downgraded to a yellow and the second came in first-half stoppage-time when Liam Rose appeared to handle in the box, referee Shane Skinner initially pointed to the spot, only for VAR to decree that no offence had taken place.

Pennington had been set to take the penalty before it was overruled, but the in-form midfielder did not have to wait long to claim his fifth goal of the campaign.

Just three minutes into the second half, Sam Sutton whipped in a teasing cross from the left, Sebastian Despotovski dummied it and Pennington swept home with a neat, first-time finish.

Only a fine save from Alex Robinson prevented the home side from doubling their lead via a thumping header from Kaltak, before Macarthur responded with 20 minutes left when Vickery rifled home from just outside the box.

That leveller set up a dramatic finale as both sides went all out for the win, with Despotovski and Mitch Duke going close at either end ahead of Popovic seizing his moment.

Substitute Stefan Colakovski was the architect, sending in a fine cross from the left and Popovic soared above his marker and powered an unstoppable header past Robinson.

Back came the Bulls once again, throwing bodies forward in the final moments, but it was Glory who were destined to have the final word.

Seven minutes into stoppage-time, Andriano Lebib did well to win a duel on the right touchline before hooking the ball forward and showing scintillating pace, Sulemani raced in on goal before drilling a shot across Robinson which found the net via the far post.

Match Details

Isuzu UTE A-League 2025/26 Season Round 24

Perth Glory 3 (Pennington 48′, Popovic 76′, Sulemani 90+5′) Macarthur FC 1 (Vickery 68′)

Half-time: 0-0

HBF Park

Sunday 12 April 2026

Referee: Shane Skinner

Attendance: 5893

Perth Glory: 29.Matt SUTTON (gk), 2.Charbel SHAMOON (24.Andriano LEBIB 73′), 3.Sam SUTTON, 4.Scott WOOTTON, 7.Nicholas PENNINGTON, 9.Jaiden KUCHARSKI (67.Stefan COLAKOVSKI 68′), 16.Gabriel POPOVIC (17.Arion SULEMANI 87′), 25.Sebastian DESPOTOVSKI, 27.Will FRENEY (18.Luca TEVERE 73′), 39.Giovanni DE ABREU, 45.Brian KALTAK

Substitutes not used: 40.Ryan WARNER (gk), 23.Anthony DIDULICA, 30.Tadi KUZAMBA

Yellow Cards: Wootton, Despotovski, Popovic

Red Cards: None

Macarthur Bulls: 1. Alex ROBINSON (gk), 3. Damien DA SILVA, 6. Tomislav USKOK , 7. Sime GRZAN (11. Bernardo OLIVEIRA 83′), 8. Luke VICKERY, 9. Chris IKONOMIDIS (8.Luke VICKERY 56′), 10. Anthony CACERES, 13. Raphael DURAN MARTINEZ (24. Dean BOSNJAK 56′), 15. Mitchell DUKE, 22. Liam ROSE (28. Harrison SAWYER 73′), 25. Callum TALBOT, 26. Luke BRATTAN (18. Walter SCOTT 83′)

Substitutes not used: 12. Filip KURTO (gk), 17. Oliver RANDAZZO

Yellow Cards: Brattan, Uskok, Vickery

Red Cards: None

#ONEGlory