Glory produced a heartening performance on Friday evening, but were unable to prevent reigning Isuzu UTE A-League Premiers Melbourne City from running out 2-1 winners at HBF Park.
View full match highlights HERE.
View Head Coach Alen Stajcic’s post-match media conference HERE.
A lively first half saw two penalties awarded, with Glory’s Salim Khelifi hammering his against the post before Tolgay Arslan’s sent Cameron Cook the wrong way at the other end to put City ahead.
The hosts did manage to find the net in first-half stoppage-time, however, Adam Taggart pouncing on a wayward backpass to calmly slot home his fourth goal of the season.
The ebb and flow of a compelling contest continued after the break as the visitors restored their lead courtesy of a header from Socceroos midfielder Matthew Leckie and although Glory created a string of chances in the latter stages, they were unable to find an equaliser.
After a cagey opening, VAR took centre stage, firstly downgrading an initial red card collected by City defender Callum Talbot to a yellow and then ruling that referee Daniel Cook should have awarded Glory a penalty following a handball by Matthew Leckie.
Khelifi was unable to convert from the spot, however and salt was rubbed into the home side’s wound when City were handed a penalty of their own by Johnny Koutroumbis’ foul on Arslan and the German midfielder tucked it away.
Undaunted by the fluctuation in their fortunes, the men in purple responded almost immediately, the alert Taggart swooping on Alessandro Lopane’s woefully under-hit back-pass, rounding Young and rolling the ball into an empty net.
The chances continued to arrive with alacrity at either end during the early stages of the second half, Taggart firing just wide before Cook was called into action to thwart both Hamza Sakhi and Leckie.
Australia’s World Cup hero was not to be denied shortly afterwards, however, heading in a cross supplied by fellow-Socceroo Aziz Behich from the left flank.
Again Glory responded well and again, Taggart was at the heart of their most threatening moments.
The club’s leading scorer was just unable to get enough contact on a low cross from Khelifi to divert it past Young and he then saw a sharp shot on the turn and two headers both kept out by the City ‘keeper in quick succession as Glory maintained their desperate search for a leveller right to the final whistle.
Isuzu Ute A-League 2023/24 Season Round 7
Perth Glory 1 (Taggart 45+2′) Melbourne City 2 (Arslan (pen) 38′, Leckie 66′)
Half-time: 1-1
HBF Park
Attendance: 5523
Referee: Daniel Cook
Perth Glory : 13.Cameron COOK (gk), 2.Johnny KOUTROUMBIS, 5.Mark BEEVERS (co-c), 7.Stefan COLAKOVSKI (9.David WILLIAMS 71′), 10.Salim KHELIFI (77.Bruce KAMAU 76′), 12.Luke IVANOVIC (23.Daniel BENNIE 58′), 19.Trent OSTLER (17.Jarrod CARLUCCIO 71′), 20.Giordano COLLI, 22.Adam TAGGART (co-c), 24.Oliver BOZANIC (8.Mustafa AMINI 76′), 29.Darryl LACHMAN
Substitutes not used: 3.Jacob MUIR, 1.Oli SAIL (gk)
Yellow Cards: Koutroumbis
Red Cards: None
Melbourne City: 1. Jamie YOUNG (GK), 7. Mathew LECKIE, 8. Hamza SAKHI, 9. Jamie MACLAREN (C), 10. Tolgay ARSLAN (2. Scott GALLOWAY 81′), 16. Aziz BEHICH, 21. Alessandro LOPANE (6. Steven UGARKOVIC 62′), 22. Curtis GOOD, 25. Callum TALBOT (17. Terry ANTONIS 81′), 26. Samuel SOUPRAYEN, 44. Marin JAKOLIS (11. Leo NATEL 71′)
Substitutes not used: 18. Jordon HALL, 33. Patrick BEACH (GK), 37. Max CAPUTO,
Yellow Cards: Talbot
Red Cards: None
#ONEGlory
