Jaylan Pearman’s sensational maiden A-League goal sealed a deserved 1-0 win for Glory over high-flying Auckland FC at HBF Park on Saturday evening.
View full match highlights HERE
The 18-year-old slammed a shot into the top corner from outside the box just short of the half-hour mark and that proved enough to secure a hugely welcome first home victory of the season for David Zdrilic’s side.
Both sides created plenty of chances in what developed into a helter-skelter second half and it ended with Auckland substitute Adam Coulibaly seeing red after bringing down Andriano Lebib who had picked up possession deep in his own half and embarked upon an astonishing run to the very cusp of the visitors’ box.
Pearman had already gone close earlier in the first half, drilling a snapshot narrowly wide of the upright six minutes in and having seemingly used that effort as a range-finder, he duly went one better with his next opportunity.
Jarrod Carluccio, who was an effervescent presence down the left flank all evening, slipped a ball across the top of the box and Pearman needed no second invitation to unleash a first-time effort which left Auckland ‘keeper Alex Paulsen helpless.
The visitors, who had tasted defeat just once this season prior to their long trip west, upped the ante at the start of the second half and Glory were grateful to Oli Sail for keeping his hometown club at bay.
Guillermo May was foiled by a sprawling save, before Sail went one better by somehow blocking a Max Mata header at point-blank range and when the loose ball broke for Jesse Randall, Josh Risdon produced a stunning block to keep out the substitute’s follow-up effort.
The chances continued to flow as the game entered its final quarter with Pearman firing wide and May spooning a shot over the bar when well placed and then seeing a long-range strike spectacularly tipped away by Sail.
In the final minute of regulation time, Coulibaly’s cynical challenge prevented Lebib from potentially scoring a contender for goal of the season following his electrifying, 80-metre run and after the inevitable red card for the Auckland man, Glory calmly saw out the final moments to secure a win that meant so much.
Match Details
Isuzu UTE A-League 2024/25 Season Round 13
Perth Glory 1 (Pearman 29′) Auckland FC 0
Half-time: 1-0
HBF Park
Saturday 11 January 2025
Attendance: 5390
Referee: Nathan Shakespear
Perth Glory: 1.Oli SAIL (gk), 7.Nicholas PENNINGTON (14.Nathanael BLAIR 90+6′), 12.Taras GOMULKA, 15.Zach LISOLAJSKI (3.Anas HAMZAOUI 74′), 17.Jarrod CARLUCCIO (26.Khoa NGO 74′), 19.Josh RISDON, 20.Trent OSTLER, 22.Adam TAGGART, 24.Andriano LEBIB, 25.Jaylan PEARMAN (6.Brandon O’NEILL 73′), 29.Tomi MRCELA
Substitutes not used: 13.Cameron COOK (gk), 16.Adam BUGARIJA
Yellow Cards: Carluccio, Mrcela, Lisolajski
Red Cards: None
Auckland FC: 12. Alex PAULSEN (gk), 2. Hiroki SAKAI (17. Callan ELLIOT 45+2′), 3. Scott GALLOWAY, 4. Nando PIJNAKER, 5. Tommy SMITH, 6. Louis VERSTRAETE, 10. Guillermo MAY, 14. Liam GILLION (9. Max MATA 58′), 15. Francis DE VRIES (16.Adam COULIBALY, 82′), 22. Jake BRIMMER, 25. Neyder MORENO (27. Logan ROGERSON 46′), 28. Luis Felipe GALLEGOS (21. Jesse RANDALL 46′)
Substitutes not used: 1. Michael WOUD (gk), 8. Luis TOOMEY
Yellow Cards: Coulibaly
Red Cards: Coulibaly
#ONEGlory
