Goals from midfield duo Giordano Colli and Aaron McEneff guided Glory to a deserved first win of the season as they downed Central Coast Mariners 2-1 in Gosford on Sunday.
Click HERE for full match highlights.
Samuel Silvera had fired the hosts into the lead 20 minutes in, but Colli restored parity from close-range just before the break and early in the second half, McEneff calmly claimed his second of the season which proved enough to seal all three points.
The result extended Glory’s unbeaten record in Gosford to six games and Head Coach Ruben Zadkovich was understandably delighted at the character his side showed to come from behind and seal victory.
View his full post-match media conference HERE.
“We’re working really, really hard as a group, so I’m just really proud,” he said.
“We showed a lot of belief and resilience.
“The boys have been huge in the three games, albeit in performances that haven’t been near what we wanted and that’s because we’re a group in our infancy.
“It’s going to take time, we’re going to have to build on our structures and our processes, but if they show that level of work rate, effort, fight and mentality as a group, then we’ll definitely get there.
“It’s something to build on.
“We had a really good performance last week and created enough chances to win that game and it was a step in the right direction, but the result wasn’t there.
“This result will give a bit of confidence to the team and everyone involved at the club.
“It’ll pick up the mood for everybody on a day to day basis… and now we’ll look to build on it.”
Having looked bright in the early exchanges, Glory were unfortunate to find themselves trailing midway through the half when Jason Cummings surged down the left and cut the ball back to the top of the box where Silvera swept home an unstoppable shot.
But Zadkovich’s men dusted themselves off and deservedly levelled things up two minutes before half-time as Ryan Williams’ cross from the left found Ben Azubel and although the Israeli’s powerful header was parried by former Glory ‘keeper Danny Vukovic, Colli was on hand to fire the loose ball into the roof of the net.
Stung by that goal, the Mariners came flying out of the traps at the start of the second half, but the visitors held firm and then took the win out of their sails by grabbing a second goal.
Colli was the creator this time, firing in a low cross which ricocheted off a cluster of home defenders and fell kindly for McEneff who retained his composure to bag his second goal in three appearances for the club.
There were some anxious moments for the men in white late on as Cummings saw a toe-poke effort deflected wide and Josh Nisbet’s stoppage-time cross was scrambled clear, but they dug deep to hold on and get their 2022/23 campaign well and truly up and running.
Match Details
ISUZU UTE A-League 2022/23 Season Round 3
Sunday 23 October 2022
Central Coast Mariners 1 (Silvera 21′) Perth Glory 2 (Colli 43′, McEneff 56′)
Half-time: 1-1
Central Coast Stadium
Referee: Lachlan Keevers
Central Coast Mariners: 20.Danny VUKOVIC (GK), 3.Brian KALTAK, 4.Joshua NISBET, 6.Maximilien BALARD, 7.Samuel SILVERA (14.Garang KUOL 57′), 9.Jason CUMMINGS, 11.Beni NKOLOLO (98.MARCO TULIO 61′), 15.Storm ROUX (2.Thomas AQUILINA 61′), 17.Kelechi JOHN (25.Nectarios TRIANTIS 85′), 18.Jacob FARRELL, 90.Paul AYONGO (21.Michael RUHS 57′)
Substitutes not used: 13.Harrison STEELE, 24.Yaren SOZER (gk)
Yellow Cards: Silvera, Kuol, Kaltak, John
Red Cards: None
Perth Glory: 33.Liam REDDY (gk), 2.John KOUTROUMBIS, 5.Mark BEEVERS (c), 6.Aaron MCENEFF, 7.Ryan WILLIAMS, 10.Salim KHELIFI, 11.Ben AZUBEL (3.Jacob DOWSE 78′), 19.Zach DUNCAN (4.Luke BODNAR 66′), 20.Giordano COLLI, 23.Mitch OXBORROW (12.Luke IVANOVIC 66′), 29.Darryl LACHMAN
Substitutes not used: 16.Keegan JELACIC, 25.Matt HATCH, 30.Pierce CLARK (gk), 36.Joseph FORDE
Yellow Cards: Williams
Red Cards: None
#ONEGlory
