A Glory side with an average age of just 18 produced an impressive display in Wednesday’s FFA Cup Play-Off against Melbourne Victory, eventually being eliminated in a penalty shootout after the two teams had fought out a compelling 1-1 draw over 120 minutes.
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Forced to play the game at the Marden Sports Complex in Adelaide due to border restrictions, Glory were given no time to adjust to their new surroundings as Victory hit the front inside the opening minute courtesy of Lleyton Brooks’ long-range strike.
But they forced their way back into the contest and equalised just before the half-hour mark when Josh Anasmo converted a Giordano Colli free-kick at the second attempt to claim his first senior goal for the club.
Despite a number of decent chances at both ends, neither side was able to find the net again before the end of normal and then extra-time, sending the game to penalties.
The first four spot-kicks were all successfully converted before Glory’s Aidan Coyne and Giordano Colli were both denied by Jerrad Tyson and Victory were able to book their place in the Round of 32.
Nonetheless, there was plenty to like about a spirited Glory performance which saw Richard Garcia’s youthful charges go toe-to-toe with a significantly more experienced Victory outfit.
Having taken some time to recover from their first-minute set-back, the men in purple grew into the game and were rewarded when Anasmo bundled home the loose ball after seeing his initial header parried by Tyson in the Victory goal.
Tyler Vecchio twice went close to giving Glory the lead later in the first half, while after the break, it was Tony Popovic’s side who created the lion’s share of the chances.
Cameron Cook was forced to make a fine save to keep Nishan Velupillay at bay and in the first half of extra-time, the Victory substitute again went close, this time fizzing a low shot centimetres wide of the post.
With fatigue understandably starting to creep in, however, neither side was quite able to find a second breakthrough and it ultimately took penalties to determine that it would be Victory who will face Adelaide City at the same venue early next month.
Match Details
Perth Glory 1 (Anasmo 26′) Melbourne Victory 1 (Brooks 1′) (A.E.T.)
(Victory won 4-3 on penalties)
Half-time: 1-1
Referee: Daniel Elder
Venue: Marden Sports Complex, Adelaide
Perth Glory: 12.Cameron COOK (GK), 26.Giordano COLLI, 32.Aidan COYNE, 35.Will FORMSTON, 36.Joseph FORDE, 37.Jacob MUIR ( 2.Judd MCDOUGALL 97′), 41.Chris DONNELL, 42.Josh ANASMO (39.Matthew GEORGE 76′), 43.Adam ZIMARINO ( 38.Ciaran BRAMWELL 97′), 45.Aidan EDWARDS (49.Jayden LEADER 97′), 47.Tyler VECCHIO (22.Josh RAWLINS 66′)
Substitutes not used: 30.Sam REILLY (GK)
Yellow Cards: Edwards, Anasmo, Leader
Red Cards: None
Melbourne Victory: 19.Jerrad TYSON (GK), 9.Francesco MARGIOTTA (24.Nishan VELUPILLAY 68′), 10.Robbie KRUSE (32.William WILSON 68′), 13.Birkan KIRDAR, 14.Jay BARNETT, 15.Aaron ANDERSON, 16.Stefan NIGRO, 23.Marco ROJAS (25.Luis-Lawrie LATTANZIO 68′), 26.Lleyton BROOKS (33.Ryan LETHLEAN 89′), 27.Zaydan BELLO, 37.Edmond LUPANCU
Substitutes not used: 30.Marko BULIC (GK)
Yellow Cards: Lattanzio, Kirdar
Red Cards: None
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