Perth Glory has been hit by a summer scorcher in South Australia with the weather and Adelaide United striker Francesco Monterosso turning up the heat on the visitors.
Perth Glory has been hit by a summer scorcher in South Australia with the weather and Adelaide United striker Francesco Monterosso turning up the heat on the visitors.
Monterosso netted a hat-trick in the home side-s 3-0 win in round 19 of the National Youth League at Hindmarsh Stadium which ends Perth-s hopes of a top two finish and a chance at the inaugural championship.
In sweltering conditions, Monterosso was the star of the show for Adelaide and made his intentions known early with a goal in the first minute followed by another immediate following the break and he had his third as the clock ticked to 50 minutes.
The opening goal came from an easy tap-in but while his other two goals required more fineness, Perth Coach Gareth Naven was disappointed with his side-s defensive efforts.
“They were not switched on, it was as simple as that and there are no excuses,” Naven said.
“Our players have got to mark their opponents and if they don’t, they score goals – it’s as easy as that.
“I think for our game out of 90 minutes we were probably competitive for 20 to 25,” said Naven.
Adelaide had the best of the contest for the majority of the time and could have added to the scoreline on several occasions.
In the 23rd minute Adam Luca brought down Osama Malik just outside the box but fortunately for Perth his free kick sailed over the cross bar.
Malik had an even better chance nine minutes later when he smashed a bouncing ball from close range towards goal but Glory keeper Alex Pearson knocked the ball to ground where Monterosso was waiting for the crumbs but the Perth custodian was again up for the challenge to parry the ball away.
With an unquenchable thirst for goal Monterosso was denied be Pearson several more times in the second half.
Youngster Hayden Doyle showed some fight for Perth while Cameron Edwards, son of former Glory star Alistair Edwards, continued to probe, especially with two late corners but the enthusiastic visitors ultimately struggled to find a pathway through to goal.
Adelaide United 3 (Francesco Monterosso 1- / 47- / 50-)
Perth Glory 0
Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, Saturday 31 January 2009
Referee: Stephen Toth
Assistant Referees: Curtis Wordsworth, Christian Verdicchio
Fourth Official: Elvis Mustafic
Adelaide United line-up: 30.Mark BIRIGHITTI (gk) (40.Lucas ANDREUCCI (gk) 57-), 2.Michael DOYLE, 4.Michael MARRONE, 5.Shane TOBIAS, 6.Alexander SUNASKY (3.Scott WEIDENBACH 57-), 7.Joel ALLWRIGHT, 8.Matthew MULLEN, 9.Andrew CIARLA, 10.Osama MALIK (11.Joseph COSTA 55-), 15.Francesco MONTEROSSO, 16.Michael DE BONO (17.Angelo ARAMBATSIS 60-)
Substitutes not used: Nil
Yellow cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
Perth Glory line-up: 1.Alex PEARSON (gk) (40.Devon SPENCE (gk) 57-), 4.Jack CLISBY (15.Scott NEVILLE 52-), 6.Dean EVANS, 7.Josh RISDON, 8.Howard FONDYKE, 10.Adam LUCA (5.Hayden DOYLE 52-), 11.Ludovic BOI (10.Adam LUCA 90-+2), 12.Scott BULLOCH (OA) (14.Cameron EDWARDS 69-), 13.Andrija JUKIC, 14.Cameron EDWARDS (9.Anthony SKORICH 51-), 22.Ryan PEARSON
Substitutes not used: Nil
Yellow cards: Scott Neville 80-
Red Cards: Anthony Skorich 78-
