Keegan Jelacic struck his maiden A-League goal to propel Glory to a vital and well-deserved 1-0 home win over in-form Western Sydney Wanderers on Friday evening.
View full match highlights HERE.
The visitors arrived sitting in second spot on the ladder, but were second-best almost throughout as Glory began brightly and remained on the front foot throughout a compelling contest.
Jelacic bagged his goal just short of the hour-mark following excellent approach play from substitute David Williams and Wanderers were unable to force their way back into the game in the latter stages.
Glory Head Coach Ruben Zadkovich was naturally delighted with the performance and result, particularly given that experienced first-team regulars Mark Beevers, Aaron McEneff and Ryan Williams all missed the game through injury.
View his full post-match media conference HERE.
“I thought for long periods of the match, we were the better team,” he said.
“We deserved the points and I thought we played really well.
“Especially with a lot of young guys stepping up and Jacob Dowse on debut against a couple of big centre-backs, I thought his effort was good and he had some good moments.
“But as a collective, I thought we deserved the points.
“Inside our four walls, there’s a real big belief.
“I’m extremely proud of the group and there’s a real togetherness inside that dressing room.”
With a strong southerly wind behind them, Glory dominated the first half, with Mustafa Amini shooting narrowly wide in the 25th minute before Western Sydney ‘keeper Lawrence Thomas saved superbly in quick succession from Salim Khelifi and Jack Clisby.
Substitute Adam Zimarino was next to close to breaking the deadlock, rolling his marker and firing just past the far post in the 58th minute, but the home faithful did not have to wait much longer for what proved to be the match-winner.
Williams embarked upon a surging run which took him deep into the box and although he was eventually halted by a cluster of Wanderers defenders, the ball broke kindly for Jelacic whose left-foot shot found the net via the foot of the post.
Cameron Cook, making his first appearance of the season, was called upon to block an effort from Wanderers skipper Marcelo as the game moved into its final quarter, but Glory largely held the visitors at arm’s length and sealed their third win of the campaign with a degree of comfort.
Match Details
ISUZU UTE A-League 2022/23 Season Round 11
Perth Glory 1 (Jelacic 59′) Western Sydney Wanderers 0
Half-time: 0-0
Macedonia Park
Referee: Jack Morgan
Perth Glory: 13.Cameron COOK (gk), 2.John KOUTROUMBIS, 3.Jacob DOWSE (18.David WILLIAMS 57′), 4.Luke BODNAR (19.Zach DUNCAN 76′), 8.Mustafa AMINI (c), 10.Salim KHELIFI (36.Joseph FORDE 44′), 12.Luke IVANOVIC (43.Adam ZIMARINO 57′), 14.Jack CLISBY, 16.Keegan JELACIC (20.Giordano COLLI 77′), 29.Darryl LACHMAN, 37.Jacob MUIR
Substitutes not used: 33.Liam REDDY (gk), 25.Matt HATCH
Yellow Cards: Williams, Muir
Red Cards: None
Western Sydney Wanderers: 20.Lawrence THOMAS (GK), 2.Gabriel CLEUR, 3.Adama TRAORE, 5.Tomislav MRCELA, 6.Marcelo (C), 7.Ramy NAJJARINE (37.Alex BADOLATO 85′), 8.Oliver BOZANIC (19.Daniel WILMERING 74′), 9.Kusini YENGI (11.Sulejman KRPIC 39′), 17.Romain AMALFITANO, 26.Brandon BORELLO (35.Zac SAPSFORD 85′), 28.Calem NIEUWENHOF
Substitutes not used: 1.Daniel MARGUSH (GK), 12.Ruon TONGYIK, 36.Alessandro LOPANE
Yellow Cards: Marcelo, Cleur, Nieuwenhof
Red Cards: None
#ONEGlory
