Glory’s Finals hopes were extinguished in desperately unfortunate circumstances on Saturday afternoon as they were edged out 1-0 by Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium.
Click HERE for full match highlights
Click HERE for Defender Naomi Chinnama’s post-match interview
Both sides came into the penultimate fixture of the regular season requiring three points to remain in the race for the top six and Glory looked the more likely to claim that vital victory as the second half progressed.
But instead it was the Sky Blues who snatched the game’s only goal as Princess Ibini fired home in stoppage-time and to rub salt into Glory’s wound, the home striker was fortunate to still be on the field having somehow been shown just a yellow card for a studs-up lunge on Izzy Dalton earlier in the second half.
The previous meeting between the two sides back in Round 10 had been an attritional affair and that trend continued in a first half which rapidly developed into a midfield arm-wrestle.
Both sides managed to create just one goalscoring opportunity of note before the break, with Glory ‘keeper Miranda Templeman marking her return to the side in place of the injured Casey Dumont by beating away a fierce strike from Mackenzie Hawkesby and Sarah O’Donoghue then finding the side-netting at the other end after fine approach work from Susan Phonsongkham.
As the second half wore on, however, Glory began to seize the initiative and apply some concerted pressure to the home defence.
Half-time substitute Ella Abdul Massih had a strong penalty claim waved away after seeming to be impeded in the box by Tori Tumeth while trying to reach a Phonsongkham cross and the midfielder then saw a goalbound effort deflected wide by Jordan Thompson.
Sydney did respond with an effort from Abbey Lemon which drew a smart stop from Templeman before Susan Phonsongkham was presented with Glory’s best chance of the game, only to shoot straight at Jasmine Black who blocked with her legs.
Referee Sarah Jones managed to infuriate the Glory bench again in the shadows of full-time, ignoring what seemed like a blatant shove from Tumeth on Abdul Massih in the box.
And to compound a frustrating afternoon in the Harbour City, after Tijan McKenna appeared to be fouled in the build-up, Ibini bent a shot past Templeman into the far corner to clinch an undeserved victory for the hosts.
Match Details
Ninja A-League 2024/25 Season Round 22
Sydney FC 1 (Ibini 90+1′) Perth Glory 0
Half-time: 0-0
Allianz Stadium
Saturday 12 April 2025
Referee: Sarah Jones
Sydney FC: 13. Jasmine BLACK (GK), 3. Faye BRYSON, 4. Tori TUMETH, 12. Natalie TOBIN, 14. Abbey LEMON, 15. Mackenzie HAWKESBY (23.Rubi SULLIVAN 86′), 16. Jordan THOMPSON, 21. Lucy JOHNSON (20.Princess IBIN 46′), 22. Indiana DOS SANTOS, 24. Caley TALLON-HENNIKER (9.Shea CONNORS 36′), 26. Maddie CASPERS (7.Millie FARROW 61′)
Substitutes not used: 28. Beth MASON-JONES (GK)
Yellow Cards: Ibini
Red Cards: None
Perth Glory: 21.Miranda TEMPLEMAN (gk), 5.Grace JOHNSTON, 6.Tijan MCKENNA, 7.Megan WYNNE, 8.Georgia CASSIDY (2.Mischa ANDERSON 89′), 10.Susan PHONSONGKHAM, 13.Naomi CHINNAMA, 18.Izzy FOLETTA, 19.Sarah O’DONOGHUE (25.Ella LINCOLN 89′), 23.Izzy DALTON (c), 27.Charli WAINWRIGHT (20.Ella ABDUL MASSIH 46′), 29.Onyinyechi ZOGG
Substitutes not used: 22.Ischia BROOKING, 30.Jess SKINNER (gk)
Yellow Cards: Phonsongkham
Red Cards: None
#ONEGlory
