19-year-old debutant Joel Anasmo was among Glory’s scorers as Alen Stajcic’s men turned on the style once again at HBF Park to secure a thrilling 4-2 victory over reigning Premiers, Melbourne City on Friday evening.
View full match highlights HERE
View Alen Stajcic’s post-match media conference HERE
And they did it the hard way, twice coming from behind before running over the top of the expensively-assembled visitors in the latter stages.
Former Glory man Jamie Maclaren gave Aurelio Vidmar’s side the lead midway through the first half, before Mustafa Amini equalised from the spot on the stroke of half-time after Nuno Reis had impeded Bruce Kamau.
On the hour-mark, City again got their noses in front, this time Tolgay Arslan firing in after Maclaren had capitalised upon a defensive error.
But Glory then turned the game on its head by scoring twice in as many minutes, Scott Galloway inadvertently clipping a cross from David Williams into his own net and Adam Taggart then hooking in his ninth goal of the season having been picked out superbly by Daniel Bennie.
The chances continued to flow right to the end of what was another roller-coaster contest and in the very last minute of stoppage-time, Williams played another superb ball to fellow-substitute Anasmo whose cool finish belied his tender years.
The Round 15 clash kept a vocal home crowd entertained right from the off, with Taggart going close inside the opening two minutes before Oli Sail made the first of a string of fine saves at the other end to keep out Maclaren’s header.
Jamie Young responded in kind moments later, reacting sharply to prevent a Taggart shot from creeping in at the near post ahead of another save from Sail, this time to foil Andrew Nabbout.
The seemingly-inevitable opener did arrive soon after, however, Maclaren getting the faintest of touches on Arslan’s cross from the left and helping it into the bottom corner.
Sail then came to Glory’s rescue again by pulling off a spectacular, one-handed save to keep out a Maclaren header and the home side made the most of that let-off by equalling in first-half stoppage-time through Amini’s second successful spot-kick in as many games.
The half-time break did nothing to disrupt the flow of chances, Leo Natel striking the foot of the post for City seconds before Maclaren picked off an errant pass in Glory’s defensive third and found Arslan who crashed a shot into the roof of Sail’s net.
But as they have done so often this season, Glory found a second wind as the game moved into its final quarter and soon pulled it back to 2-2 courtesy of Galloway’s own-goal.
A minute later it was Bennie providing the dangerous cross from the right and this time Taggart popped up to finish clinically at the far post.
More drama was to follow as Sail foiled Curtis Good and Arslan struck the outside of the post, before Anasmo made the game safe for Stajcic’s men, scampering on to another inch-perfect from Williams and finishing with aplomb.
And to rub salt into City’s wounds, Arslan was sent off for what appeared to be dissent after the final whistle.
Match Details
Isuzu UTE A-League 2023/24 Season Round 15
Perth Glory 4 (Amini (pen) 45+4′, Galloway (o.g. 68′), Taggart 70′, Anasmo 90+8′) Melbourne City 2 (Maclaren 23′, Arslan 60′))
Half-time: 1-1
HBF Park
Friday 2 February 2024
Attendance: 5494
Referee: Shane Skinner
Perth Glory:Â 1.Oli SAIL (gk), 2.Johnny KOUTROUMBIS, 7.Stefan COLAKOVSKI (9.David WILLIAMS 61′), 8.Mustafa AMINI (c) (4.Luke BODNAR 77′), 14.Riley WARLAND, 15.Aleksandar SUSNJAR, 20.Giordano COLLI, 22.Adam TAAGART (c), 23.Daniel BENNIE (31.Joel ANASMO 77′), 29.Darryl LACHMAN, 77.Bruce KAMAU (17.Jarrod CARLUCCIO 77′)
Substitutes not used: 13.Cameron COOK (gk), 12.Luke IVANOVIC, 16.Josh RAWLINS
Yellow Cards: Carluccio, Amini, Colakovski
Red Cards: None
Melbourne City:Â 1. Jamie YOUNG (GK), 2. Scott GALLOWAY, 4. Nuno REIS (18. Jordon HALL 59′), 6. Steven UGARKOVIC, 9. Jamie MACLAREN (C), 10. Tolgay ARSLAN, 11. Leo NATEL (37. Max CAPUTO 82′), 15. Andrew NABBOUT (8. James JEGGO 71′), 17. Terry ANTONIS (46. Ben MAZZEO 71′), 22. Curtis GOOD, 38. Harry POLITIDIS (7. Mathew LECKIE 82′)
Substitutes not used: 21. Alessandro LOPANE, 33. Patrick BEACH (GK)
Yellow Cards: Leckie
Red Cards: Arslan
#ONEGlory
