Glory were unable to contain a rampant Melbourne City side on Sunday, eventually succumbing to a chastening 8-0 defeat at AAMI Park.
View full match highlights HERE.
View Alen Stajcic’s post-match media conference HERE.
The bulk of the damage was done in the first half as Leo Natel and Tolgay Arslan both scored twice and an own-goal from the luckless Kaelan Majekodunmi saw the hosts take a 5-0 lead into the break.
Glory improved in the second 45, but conceded again on the hour-mark when Jamie Maclaren found the net before Arslan completed his hat-trick and Steven Ugarkovic added an eighth for City late on.
The Glory Shed Supporters Club Tour of Duty group provided a fantastic backing from the away bay throughout the 90 minutes, but they were given little to cheer about once City went ahead on 14 minutes.
Natel had already gone close on two occasions when he picked up the ball wide out on the left, sliced his way inside and fired into the roof of the net.
Within two minutes, 1-0 became 2-0 as Matthew Leckie picked off a wayward pass on the edge of the Glory box, found Arslan and the German midfielder applied a composed finish.
The visitors were rocked again almost immediately, this time Leckie whipping in a low cross from the right which Majekodunmi inadvertently deflected past Oli Sail as he challenged the onrushing Maclaren.
Shortly before the half-hour, Arslan beat Sail from a tight angle to claim his second and City’s fourth and Natel followed that by slamming in number five which was allowed to stand after a lengthy VAR check on whether Maclaren was in an offside position and interfering with play.
To their credit, the visitors began the second half brightly and created a decent chance two minutes in when substitute Johnny Koutroumbis galloped away down the right and found Adam Taggart whose effort was smothered by Jamie Young.
As they tried desperately to find a foothold in the game, however, Glory inevitably left gaps at the back and they were ruthlessly exploited by the reigning Premiers.
Natel led the rapid break which culminated in Maclaren making it 6-0 with an hour played, Arslan then completed his hat-trick via a close-range finish and Ugarkovic surged into the box before finishing emphatically to round out the scoring four minutes from time.
Substitute David Williams twice came close to finding the net for Glory in the final quarter, but he was ultimately unable to provide a flicker of light on what was a dark afternoon at AAMI Park for those of a purple persuasion.
Match Details
Isuzu UTE 2023-24 Season Round 24
Melbourne City 8 (Natel 14′. 29′, Arslan 16′, 26′, 73′. Majekodunmi (o.g.) 19′, Maclaren 60′, Ugarkovic 86′) Perth Glory 0
Half-time: 5-0
AAMI Park
Sunday 14 April 2024
Referee: Tim Danaskos
Melbourne City squad: 1. Jamie YOUNG (GK), 4. Nuno REIS, 6. Steven UGARKOVIC, 7. Mathew LECKIE (21. Alessandro LOPANE 61′), 8. James JEGGO (35. Zane SCHREIBER 77′), 9. Jamie MACLAREN (C), 10. Tolgay ARSLAN (37. Max CAPUTO 77′), 11. Leo NATEL (17. Terry ANTONIS 90+1′), 14. Vicente FERNÁNDEZ (38. Harry POLITIDIS 61′), 26. Samuel SOUPRAYEN, 44. Marin JAKOLIS
Substitutes not used: 22. Curtis GOOD, 40. James NIEUWENHUIZEN (GK)
Yellow Cards: Jeggo, Natel, Ugarkovic
Red Cards: None
Perth Glory: 1.Oli SAIL (gk), 3.Jacob MUIR (16.Josh RAWLINS 46′), 7.Stefan COLAKOVSKI (9.David WILLIAMS 46′), 14.Riley WARLAND (2.Johnny KOUTROUMBIS 28′), 19.Trent OSTLER, 20.Giordano COLLI, 22.Adam TAGGART (co-c) (31.Joel ANASMO 76′), 23.Daniel BENNIE, 28.Kaelan MAJEKODUNMI, 29.Darryl LACHMAN, 77.Bruce KAMAU (17.Jarrod CARLUCCIO 61′)
Substitutes not used: 30.Robert COOK (gk), 36.Khoa NGO
Yellow Cards: Carluccio
Red Cards: None
#ONEGlory
