Glory eased to victory in the first of their two Malaysian Tour games, downing local Premier League side Sarawak FA 7-1 at Stadium Negeri in Kuching.
Jason Davidson helped himself to two goals before the break, with Diego Castro, Chok Dau, Henry Hore, Brendon Santalab and an own-goal from Sabri completing the scoring as the men in purple claimed the inaugural Symposium Cup.
It was a generally impressive display from Tony Popovic’s side who made light of oppressively warm and humid conditions, with the only negative from the night being a head injury sustained by Tando Velaphi.
The Glory ‘keeper was involved in a completely accidental collision with Sarawak striker Bobby on the stroke of half time and was subsequently helped from the field before being taken to hospital for scans.
Earlier, he’d been a spectator for much of the first half as Glory dominated almost throughout.
The visitors’ first goal arrived after 26 minutes and it was created and finished in Spain as Juande picked out compatriot Castro with a clever chip and the former Johnny Warren Medal winner looped a header past teenage debutant Saiful in the home goal.
Less than a minute later, it was 2-0.
Overlapping down the left to great effect, Davidson had already been denied by Saiful in the early stages, but he made no mistake when Joel Chianese picked him out at the back post for a second time, powering home a close-range header.
The luckless Sabri then unwittingly diverted Fabio Ferreira’s cross into his own net before Yagoub Mustafa unselfishly teed Davidson up for his second as half time approached.
Having made five changes at the break, it took Glory a while to settle into the second half and they were stung 13 minutes in when substitute Badrol played Mateo in on goal and the Croatian frontman calmly beat Liam Reddy.
Normal service swiftly resumed, however, as Chok Dau restored his side’s four goal advantage by slotting home after cutting in from the right at pace.
Glory’s sixth goal was the pick of the bunch, Hore thumping home a stunning, first-time volley from just outside the box and the rout was completed right at the death when another substitute, Santalab, turned cleverly and found the bottom corner.
The second tour game is scheduled for Wednesday evening when the Sarawak State Team will provide the opposition.
Match Details
Sarawak FA 1 (Mateo 58′) Perth Glory 7 (Castro 26′, Davidson 27′, 42′, Sabri (o.g.) 30′, Dau 67′, Hore 73′, Santalab 90′)
Half-time: 0-4
Referee: Mohd. Zamzaidi Katimin
Sarawak FA: 1.SAIFUL, 14.KIM, 5.MILOS, 20.JIMMY, 3.SABRI, 13.DZULAZLAN, 8.BENEDIET, 6.MUZAMIR, 26.M.ALIF, 19.BOBBY, 9.MATEO
Substitutes: 25.M.SHAHYUDIN, 29.NURAZIZI, 22.AWG.KAMARUDDIN, 15.Shazly RAMLEE,2.Peter FRENET, 24.Badrol HISYAM,23.Daglish PAPIN, 11.ABD.RAHIM, 27.MD HAFIS, 7.MD.HAFIZ AB.BAKAR, 34.ABELL
Perth Glory: 1.Tando VELAPHI (33.Liam REDDY 46′), 2.Alex GRANT (25.Walter SCOTT 46′), 3.Jason DAVIDSON (Tomislav Mrcela 65′) 4.Shane LOWRY (24.Henry HORE 46′), 7.Joel CHIANESE (5.Ivan FRANJIC 58′), 17.Diego CASTRO (21.Jacob ITALIANO 46′), 19.Zayd FARAH (15.Brandon WILSON 65′), 20.Jake BRIMMER (88.Neil KILKENNY 65′), 22.Fabio FERREIRA (31.Chok DAU 46′), 26.Yagoub MUSTAFA, 27.JUANDE (11.Brendon SANTALAB 65′)
Substitutes not used: None
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