Second-half goals from Brandon O’Neill and Bruno Fornaroli steered Glory to an impressive 2-1 win over last season’s beaten Grand Finalists Sydney FC at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium on Saturday.
Full match highlights HERE.
Skipper O’Neill set the visitors on the way to what was their first ever win over his former club at the Kogarah venue when he rifled home a loose ball from just inside the box early in the second half.
Fornaroli then doubled Glory’s lead with a typically predatory finish five minutes from time, rendering Anthony Caceres’ stoppage-time penalty nothing more than a consolation for the hosts.
The victory lifted Richard Garcia’s men four places up the ISUZU UTE A-League ladder to within two points of the top six and after a week marred by further uncertainty regarding the opening of the WA border, the club’s Head Coach was understandably delighted with the response from his charges.
View Garcia’s full media conference HERE.
“I’m proud of the whole group,” he said.
“We made changes tonight and those guys came in and excelled, which was fantastic.
“We’ve got a busy schedule with a team which is still building fitness, so everyone is going to be needed and everyone is going to have to play their part.
“It’s pleasing to see that people are working and pushing in the same direction regardless of the load.
“I thought the team was outstanding tonight and everyone played their part.
“We started to tire towards the back end of the game, but we really dug in deep and made sure we defended as a group.
“That’s something we want to continue to build.”
A tense first-half was light-on in terms of clear-cut chances, with neither goalkeeper seriously tested, although Antonee Burke-Gilroy did flash a well-struck effort narrowly over the bar just before the break.
And having continued to show their attacking intent at the start of the second half, Glory hit the front ten minutes in.
Sydney ‘keeper Andrew Redmayne did well to parry a stinging effort from Jack Clisby, but Adrian Sardinero managed to recycle the loose ball on to O’Neill and he remained composed in a packed box to find the back of the net.
Sardinero then came close to doubling his side’s lead, the Spaniard being thwarted by Redmayne after latching on to a fine ball from substitute Daniel Sturridge, while at the other end, Josh Rawlins did well to nod away an Alex Wilkinson header as it threatened to loop its way over the line.
An extended spell of possession subsequently settled Glory’s nerves before Fornaroli effectively settled the contest.
Burke-Gilroy picked picked out the Uruguayan inside the box, his first touch took him clear of two Sydney defenders and his second sent the ball past Redmayne into the far corner.
The Sky Blues did manage to claw one back deep into stoppage-time, Caceres converting from the spot after O’Neill had impeded substitute Mustafa Amini in the box, but Glory were not to be denied.
Match Details
Sydney FC 1 (Caceres (pen) 90+3′) Perth Glory 2 (O’Neill 55′, Fornaroli 85′)
Half-time: 0-0
Netstrata Jubilee Stadium
Referee: Adam Kersey
Sydney FC: 1.Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), 3.Ben WARLAND, 4.Alex WILKINSON (C), 8.Paulo RETRE ( 6.Mustafa AMINI 69′), 9.BOBO (12.Trent BUHAGIAR 57′) 16.Joel KING ( 21.Harry VAN DER SAAG 78′), 17.Anthony CACERES, 22.Max BURGESS ( 10.Milos NINKOVIC 57′), 23.Rhyan GRANT ( 5.Connor O’TOOLE 78′), 27.Elvis KAMSOBA, 32.Patrick YAZBEK
Substitutes not used: 20.Thomas HEWARD-GELLE (GK), 35.Liam MCGING
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
Perth Glory: 12.Cameron COOK (GK), 2.Aaron CALVER, 7.Adrian SARDINERO ( 6.Osama MALIK 73′), 9.Bruno FORNAROLI ( 38.Ciaran BRAMWELL 90+1′), 13.Brandon O”NEILL (C), 14.Jack CLISBY, 19.Callum TIMMINS ( 15.Daniel STURRIDGE 62′), 21.Antonee BURKE-GILROY, 22.Josh RAWLINS, 23.Mitch OXBORROW ( 10.Andy KEOGH 62′), 29.Darryl LACHMAN
Substitutes not used: 33.Liam REDDY (GK), 16.Darko STANOJEVIC, 18.Daniel STYNES
Yellow Cards: Keogh
Red Cards: None
#OneGlory
