A late goal from substitute Lachlan Brook secured a 2-1 victory for Western Sydney Wanderers at HBF Park on Saturday evening, despite Glory looking the better side for long periods.
View full match highlights HERE.
View Alen Stajcic’s post-match media conference HERE.
Seeking a first win in WA since 2014, the red-and-blacks hit the front early courtesy of Brandon Borrello’s glancing header from a Sonny Kittel corner.
Glory replied in first-half stoppage-time, however, as Giordano Colli teed up Adam Taggart who celebrated his recall to the Socceroos squad earlier this week by rifling in his 15th goal of the season.
The men in purple proceeded to create a plethora of chances after the break, roared forward by The Shed, but they were undone by a sucker punch seven minutes from time, Brook prodding the ball home from close-range and the goal being allowed to stand after a lengthy referral to VAR.
The defeat leaves Alen Stajcic’s side ten points adrift of the Finals places with six games of the regular season remaining.
On a typically warm early autumn afternoon in Perth, it was the visitors who settled more quickly to the task and after Oli Sail went full length to turn a Marcelo header around the post, they took the lead from the resulting corner.
Kittel’s inswinger was met by Borrello and Sail was unable to keep his deft header from flying into the side of the net.
Glory reacted well to that early setback, with Kaelan Majekodunmi, making his A-League starting debut and Daniel Bennie both going close, before David Williams saw his 35th-minute effort well saved by Lawrence Thomas.
Sail emulated his Western Sydney counterpart by denying Marcus Antonsson in a one-on-one situation moments later and soon after that let-off, Glory levelled things up.
The tireless Williams forced a defensive error before moving the ball on to Colli and the midfielder calmly teed up Taggart whose finish was typically emphatic.
The hosts started the second half on the front foot and looked set to overrun a Wanderers side which began to show the effects of their midweek drubbing at the hands of Melbourne City.
Williams was unable to get enough purchase on a header to trouble Thomas, Bennie was denied by the Western Sydney ‘keeper having been played in by Taggart and substitute Jayden Gorman dragged a shot centimetres wide after some delightfully intricate approach play.
But just as yet another late Glory winner appeared imminent, Wanderers tore up the script with Brook finding the net to spark wild scenes of celebrations in the away bay once VAR had adjudged that the goal should stand.
Match Details
Isuzu UTE A-League 2023/24 Season Round 21
Perth Glory 1 (Taggart 45+2′) Western Sydney Wanderers 2 (Borrello 11′, Brook 83′)
Half-time: 1-1
HBF Park
Saturday 16 March 2024
Attendance: 5952
Referee: Shaun Evans
Perth Glory: 1.Oli SAIL (gk), 7.Stefan COLAKOVSKI (27.Jayden GORMAN 46′), 8.Mustafa AMINI (19.Trent OSTLER 66′), 9.David WILLIAMS (31.Joel ANASMO 65′), 14.Riley WARLAND, 16.Josh RAWLINS (2.Johnny KOUTROUMBIS 85′), 20.Giordano COLLI, 22.Adam TAGGART (co-c), 23.Daniel BENNIE, 28.Kaelan MAJEKODUNMI, 29.Darryl LACHMAN
Substitutes not used: 3.Jacob MUIR, 13.Cameron COOK (gk), 41.Aiki TSUKAMOTO
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
Western Sydney Wanderers: 20.Lawrence THOMAS (GK), 5.Sonny KITTEL (32.Nathaneal BLAIR 90′), 6. MARCELO, 9.Marcus ANTONSSON, 10. Milos NINKOVIC (17.Lachlan BROOK 60′), 19.Jack CLISBY (29.Dyan SCICLUNA 82′), 21.Jorrit HENDRIX, 26.Brandon BORRELLO (14.Nicolas MILANOVIC 60′), 31.Aidan SIMMONS, 33.Alex BONETIG (16.Tom BEADLING 46′), 36.Oscar PRIESTMAN
Substitutes not used: 1.Daniel MARGUSH (GK), 7.Dylan PIEIRAS
Yellow Cards: Marcelo, Borrello, Simmons, Thomas
Red Cards: None
#ONEGlory
