David Williams scored a stoppage-time goal for the second time in as many appearances against Macarthur FC to secure Glory a battling 2-2 draw with the Bulls in Sunday’s Isuzu UTE A-League Round 14 clash at Campbelltown Stadium.
View full match highlights HERE
View Alen Stajcic’s post-match media conference HERE
In the corresponding fixture a little over a month ago, the evergreen frontman bagged what proved to be the winner at HBF Park, while this time it a similarly well-taken effort from the substitute which earned a deserved share of the spoils.
Home skipper Ulises Davila fired the Bulls into an early lead, but after a prolonged bout of pressure at the start of the second half, Glory hit back through Mustafa Amini’s penalty.
And although Valere Germain subsequently converted from the spot at the other end to restore Macarthur’s lead, Williams managed to weave his way through a crowded box in stoppage-time and slip a crisp shot under Filip Kurto.
On a warm afternoon in Sydney’s west, Glory looked the more purposeful of the two sides in the opening minutes and it therefore came as a surprise when it was the Bulls who broke the deadlock.
Raphael got away down the left before finding Germain and the Frenchman cleverly played the ball into the path of Davila who flicked home his seventh goal of the season.
Chances remained at a premium for most of the rest of the first half, although Glory did enjoy a let-off on the stroke of half-time when Raphael fired wide after Davila had picked off a wayward backpass from Amini.
The men in white proceeded to start the second half on the front foot and after Luke Ivanovic had failed to convert a fine cross from Riley Warland, they were eventually rewarded for their dominance with 20 minutes left.
Johnny Koutroumbis, whose surging forward runs from right-back troubled the Bulls all afternoon, went to ground under a challenge from Kearyn Baccus, referee Daniel Elder pointed to the spot and Amini drilled home emphatically to open his account for the campaign.
At that stage it looked as if Glory were poised to push on and claim maximum points, but instead they conceded nine minutes from time when Aleks Susnjar was adjudged to have pulled Germain back in the box and the Bulls’ frontman converted the resulting penalty himself.
Seemingly undaunted by the setback , Alen Stajcic’s side laid siege to the home goal in the dying minutes and managed to break through for a second time as Williams danced his way past three defenders before calmly picking out the bottom corner, prompting wild celebrations among players, coaching staff and travelling fans alike.
Match Details
Isuzu UTE A-League 2023/24 Season Round 14
Macarthur FC 2 (Davila 9′, Germain (pen) 82′) Perth Glory 2 (Amini (pen) 72′), Williams 90+3′)
Half-time: 1-0
Campbelltown Stadium
Sunday 28 January 2024
Referee: Daniel Elder
Macarthur FC: 12. Filip KURTO (gk), 4. Matthew JURMAN, 6. Tomi USKOK, 8. Jake HOLLMAN (21. Bernardo Oliveira 78′), 10. Ulises DAVILA, 13. Ivan VUJICA, 15. Kearyn BACCUS (31. Lachlan ROSE 78′), 17. RAPHAEL (27. Jerry SKOTADIS 78′), 22. Yianni NICOLAOU, 37. Jed DREW (23. Clayton LEWIS 62′), 98. Valere GERMAIN (53.Joel BERTOLISSIO 90+2′)
Substitutes not used: 1. Danijel NIZIC (gk), 19.Jesper WEBBER
Yellow Cards: Raphael
Red Cards: None
Perth Glory: 1.Oli SAIL (gk), 2.Johnny KOUTROUMBIS, 7.Stefan COLAKOVSKI, 8.Mustafa AMINI (4.Luke BODNAR 86′), 12.Luke IVANOVIC (9.David WILLIAMS 57′), 14.Riley WARLAND (19.Trent OSTLER 71′), 15.Aleksandar SUSNJAR, 17.Jarrod CARLUCCIO (77.Bruce KAMAU 57′), 20.Giordano COLLI, 23.Daniel BENNIE (11.Adam ZIMARINO 86′), 29.Darryl LACHMAN
Substitutes not used: 13.Cameron COOK (gk), 34.Andriano LEBIB
Yellow Cards: Colakovski, Amini, Sail
Red Cards: None
#ONEGlory
