Glory Back On Track With Win Over Sydney

Perth Glory put their season back on track with a 2-0 win against high flying Sydney FC at the ME Bank Stadium. Second half goals from Scott Bulloch and Serbian, Branko Jelic, moved the Glory ahead of Wellington Phoenix and sets up an important clash with Central Coast Mariners next Friday.

The home side made two forced changes to their side that drew 1-1 with Wellington Phoenix last time out with Marquee midfielder Mile Sterjovski dropping to the bench after suffering a virus all week; he was replaced by Bulloch, while Wayne Srhoj was suspended his place going to Jamie Coyne.

Sydney also made two changes to the side that were beaten 1-0 by Gold Coast United with Brendan Gan replacing the injured Steve Corica, while Stephen Keller replaced Shannon Cole who dropped to the bench.

It was a warm day in the West Australian capital and it was a quiet opening with both sides looking to rebound. The Glory looked tentative going forward early and it was the visitors who dictated terms. They had the first opportunity on 12 minutes, when Alex Brosque was found down the right and his cross found Karol Kisel, but the Slovakian midfielder’s shot was well blocked by Chris Coyne.

Sydney continued to dominate and it was Kisel again on the quarter hour, he cut inside from the left but his long-range shot was tipped over the bar by Glory keeper Tando Velaphi at full stretch

The home side’s first chance came on 20 minutes, Naum Sekulovski wriggled clear down the left and his cross was heading towards Glory skipper Jacob Burns but his Sydney counterpart Terry McFlynn was alert to clear the danger.

Bulloch was doing a great job for his side marking Sydney’s midfield talisman Stuart Musialik out of the game, and although the home side forced three consecutive corners it was the visitors who continued to have the better of proceedings.

On 41 minutes Brosque found Wayne Bridges on the right hand side of the penalty area and after a good first touch his shot was well saved by Velaphi, and moments later it Brosque whose long-range shot flashed wide of the post.

The home side made a change at the break with Todd Howarth making way for Sterjovski and it was a different Glory side and they took the game to Sydney and on 57 minutes they hit the front. Jelic began the move finding Jamie Coyne on the right, his cross found the unmarked Bulloch who headed home from close-range.

It was biter sweet time for the former policeman as he was immediately substituted by Glory Coach David Mitchell, bringing on Dutch midfielder Victor Sikora.

Chris Coyne and Andy Todd were outstanding at the heart of the Glory defence and Sydney was struggling to break down the pair and it was the Glory who looked the more dangerous but the second goal didn’t arrive.

The Glory faithful were getting restless as Sydney lifted their tempo and former Glory skipper Simon Colosimo, who was booed every time he touched the ball, was instrumental in most of their attacking moves.

He was brought down on 82 minutes and Kisel’s resulting free kick was headed wide by former Socceroos striker John Aloisi. Moments later Colosimo found Kisel again on the right but his shot was over the top.

ECU Joondalup youngster Tommy Amphlett was brought on by the Glory to replace Sekulovski with ten minutes remaining to make his A-League debut, and the home side pressed for a second. Jamie Coyne burst through some lacklustre Sydney defending six minutes later and his shot from the edge of the box was well saved by Bolton.

The three points was sewn up two minutes later for the Glory. Todd’s intelligent run and ball found Sikora, who in turn sent Sterjovski clear down the left. The Sydney back four looked for an offside flag, that never came, and the Socceroos cross found Jelic who finished from close-range, much to the delight of The Shed behind the goal.

It was a great three points for the home side and Coach David Mitchell praised the defensive effort of Chris Coyne and Andy Todd in curbing the influence of Brosque and Bridge.

“It was back to the old Glory we are used to,” Mitchell said. The two centre halves were outstanding today. They are the benchmark of the team.”

“I thought (Jacob) Burns and (Adriano) Pellegrino were great as well. I think those four pulled us through today.”

“We hadn’t won in four weeks so it was important for us to win today and it’s nice for us to keep a clean sheet,” added Mitchell.

Sydney Coach Vitezslav Lavicka was left to rue first half missed chances. “In the first half we had the game under control, the second half the opponent scored and their fans got behind them,” said Lavicka.

“We had the same problems with our last (few) away games; we’ve been unable to score to achieve a result. But credit to Perth, they held us out.

“Then when they got the goal, possession-wise we were more dominant and then we got caught on the break for the second one,” added Lavicka.

Perth Glory GK Tando Velaphi, 3 Jamie Coyne, 4 Andy Todd, 6 Chris Coyne, 7 Jacob Burns, 11 Branko Jelic, 12 Scott Neville, 13 Scott Bulloch (8 Victor Sikora 58’), 16 Adriano Pellegrino, 17 Todd Howarth (21 Mile Sterjovski 46’), 19 Naum Sekulovski (28 Tommy Amphlett 81’) – Subs not used – RGK Aleks Vrteski

Yellow Cards – Sikora 69’

Sydney FC – GK Clint Bolton, 2 Sebastian Ryall, 3 Stephan Keller, 4 Simon Colosimo, 6 Karol Kisel, 7 Brendan Gan (18 Adam Casey 72’), 8 Stuart Musialik, 14 Alex Brosque, 15 Terry McFlynn (9 John Aloisi 63’), 19 Mark Bridge, 22 Sung Hwan Byun (12 Shannon Cole 80’) – Subs not used – RGK Ivan Necevski

Yellow Cards – Ryall 47’, Colosimo 66’

Referee – Srebre Delovski

Attendance – 8,932