Glory came from 2-0 down to complete a 3-2 extra-time victory over Central Coast Mariners in a pulsating Hahn Australia Cup 2025 Final Round PlayOff in Darwin on Tuesday evening.
A place in the Round of 32 looked beyond David Zdrilic’s side after an own-goal from Kaelan Majekodunmi and a fine finish from Alou Kuol sent the Mariners into the sheds at half-time two up.
But that scoreline flattered the men from Gosford and Glory swiftly set about hauling themselves back into the game once the second half commenced, Jaylan Pearman volleying in to halve the arrears before Adam Taggart’s header made it 2-2.
With neither side able to muster a winner inside the regulation 90, into extra-time we went and Adam Bugarija, fresh off the bench, bagged what proved to be the winner in the 98th minute.
There was still time for Oli Sail to come to Glory’s rescue midway through the second period of extra-time, the New Zealand international producing a superb save to keep out Mikael Doka’s penalty.
And the men in purple duly stood firm in the face of some concerted late pressure to secure a place in the Round of 32 for the second successive year.
It appeared almost inconceivable that the men in purple would go into half-time 2-0 down during the course of an opening 40 minutes in which they dominated for long periods and created a string of chances.
With Takuya Okamoto and Nikola Mileusnic combining to good effect down the right, the Mariners found themselves struggling to keep the WA side at bay and they almost conceded nine minutes in when Trent Ostler’s cross was headed narrowly wide by Adam Taggart.
Jaylan Pearman and Luke Amos then had goalbound efforts blocked before Yuto Misao whipped in a low cross which just eluded the onrushing Taggart and the far post.
A breakthrough for Glory seemed imminent as Okamoto, curled a cross-shot wide, but instead it was the Mariners who managed to land the first blow, albeit in fortuitous circumstances.
Mikael Doka delivered a deep free-kick into the box and in his attempt to hook the ball clear, Majekodunmi instead contrived to deflect it past Sail into his own net.
And there was another shock in store moments later when Kuol turned neatly, raced to the edge of the box and steered a shot into the bottom corner to make it 2-0.
Understandably aggrieved to be trailing, Glory began the second half in purposeful fashion and deservedly grabbed a lifeline just shy of the hour-mark.
Trent Ostler’s deep cross from the left was only half-cleared by the Central Coast defence, Mileusnic headed the ball back into the box and Pearman showed great technique to hook home on the volley.
That goal left the Mariners reeling and they were punished again six minutes later as Mileusnic supplied an inviting cross and Taggart got in front of Brian Kaltak before powering a header past Dylan Peraic-Cullen.
With the hot and humid Northern Territory conditions taking their toll, neither side went especially close to claiming a winner during the final quarter of normal time, but Glory continued to look the more dangerous and broke through again during the first half of extra time.
A free-kick from substitute Khoa Ngo was chested to Bugarija by Taggart and the young midfielder’s clever turn allowed him to rattle an unstoppable shot into the net.
At that stage Glory looked poised to pull away and yet that was not to be as the plot took another twist when Yuto Misao was rather harshly penalised for handling Lucas Scicluna’s header in the box.
Doka had scored against Glory from the spot during the regular A-League season, but this time he was to be denied as Sail dived low to his left to parry the ball away and ultimately ensure that his side’s Cup journey would continue.
Match Details
Hahn Australia Cup 2025 Final Round PlayOff
Central Coast Mariners 2 (Majekodunmi (o.g.) 40′, Kuol 44′) Perth Glory 3 (Pearman 59′, Taggart 65′, Bugarija 98′)
Half-time: 2-0
Darwin Stadium, Larrakia Park
Tuesday 13 May 2025
Referee: Lachlan Keevers
Attendance: 1496
Central Coast Mariners: 40. Dylan Peraic-Cullen (GK), 3. Brian Kaltak, 8. Alfie McCalmont, 9. Alou Kuol (39. Nicholas Duarte 59’), 10. Antonio Mikael Rodrigues Brito 12. Lucas Mauragis 23. Miguel Di Pizio (21. Abedelelah Faisal 24’, 24. Diesel Herrington 98’) 33. Nathan Paull 35. Arthur De Lima (7. Christian Theoharous 74’) 36. Haine Eames (16. Harrison Steele 59’) 37. Bailey Brandtman (44. Lucas Scicluna 90’)
Substitutes Not Used: 55. Joel Wade (GK)
Yellow Cards: 8. Alfie McCalmont (64’)
Red Cards: Nil
Perth Glory: 1. Oliver Sail (GK) 10. Nikola Mileusnic (26. Khoa Ngo 90’, 4. Tass Mourdoukoutas 105’) 17. Yuto Misao 20. Trent Ostler 21. Luke Amos 22. Adam Taggart (14. Nathaniel Blair 102’) 25. Jaylan Pearman (6. Brandon O’Neill 74’) 27. William Freney (16. Adam Bugarija 63’) 28. Kaelan Majekodunmi 29. Tomislav Mrcela 36. Takuya Okamoto
Substitutes Not Used: 13. Cameron Cook (GK) 24. Andriano Lebib
Yellow Cards: 20. Trent Ostler (39’), Brandon O’Neill (81’)
Red Cards: None
#ONEGlory
