Butshiire double gives Glory Youth the points

A brace from Swan United striker Million Butshiire, including an injury-time penalty has seen the Perth Glory National Youth League side claim a thrilling come-from-behind 3-2 win over the Australian Institute of Sport at ME Bank Stadium.

Powered by a double to former Glory Youth striker Eli Babalj, the AIS led 2-1 at half-time before a second-half brace from Butshiire saw Perth storm into the lead in the most dramatic circumstances.

The result is the Glory’s second National Youth League win in succession but it came at a cost as regular first-team defender Jimmy Downey was stretchered off in the 40th minute with an injury to his left knee.

The match started in the worst possible way for Perth as it conceded in just the fifth minute when a miscued clearance from goalkeeper Alex Pearson fell perfectly for Babalj to slam into the back of the net.

The AIS continued to press but could only create half-chances before Perth stepped up the intensity, Butshiire sending a weak shot at AIS stopper Lawrence Thomas.

The Glory levelled in the 21st minute though when AIS defender Sam Galloway slipped, allowing Butshiire to claim possession and square the ball for a lively Ludovic Boi, who slammed it home.

The Glory kept on creating chances but found themselves behind again in the 32nd minute when an unfortunate Downey clipped Mustafa Amini in the area, allowing Babalj to fire in the second from the spot.

Boi continued to threaten with his pace and skill, earning a penalty for his side two minutes after the break. But Reece Vittiglia skied his effort from the spot and the chance was lost.

But the Glory levelled proceedings in the 71st minute when a flowing move ended in a goalmouth scramble, Butshiire picking his spot and burying the equaliser.

The AIS lifted the intensity towards the end as Babalj blasted a shot over nine minutes from time before Amini fired into the post from a tight angle.

In the 86th minute Glory goalkeeper Alex Pearson bravely saved the ball with his feet as Amini closed in to score the winner and the AIS’s profligacy came back to haunt it as Perth countered in style.

A flowing move finished with Ryan Edwards cutting the ball back from the right, only for Glen Trifiro to earn the penalty when he was brought down in the area by former NTC defender Trent Sainsbury.

Perth Glory 3 (Ludovic Boi 21’, Million Butshiire 72’/90+1’)
AIS 2 (Eli Babalj 4’/31’)

Saturday, 3 October 2009 at ME Bank Stadium, Perth
Referee: Steven Gregory

Perth Glory: 1.Alex PEARSON (gk), 3.Steve HESKETH (c), 4.Jimmy DOWNEY (OA) (15.Clayton ARNEZ 42’), 5.Howard FONDYKE, 6.Brent GRIFFITHS, 7.Cameron EDWARDS, 8.Todd HOWARTH (OA) (9.Mario MARCINKO 57’), 10.Million BUTSHIIRE, 11.Ludovic BOI, 12.Reece VITTIGLIA (2.Ryan EDWARDS 57’), 14.Glen TRIFIRO

Substitutes not used: 20.Tim DOYLE (gk),
Yellow Cards: nil
Red Cards: nil

AIS squad: 1.Lawrence THOMAS (gk), 2.Trent SAINSBURY, 6.Patrick DIXON (18.Ersin KAYA 51’), 7.Terry ANTONIS (26.Aaron PETERSON 59’), 8.Eli BABALJ, 9.Stephen DOMENICI (24.Scott MELLISH 57’), 10.Nikola STANOJEVIC, 11.Christopher BUSH, 12.Jared LUM, 15.Brendan HAMILL, 21.Mustafa AMINI

Substitutes not used: 20.Aaron LENNOX (gk)
Yellow Cards: Lawrence Thomas 54’, Stephen Domenici 55’
Red Cards: nil