The PGFC Academy First Team got their Lower Table Finals campaign off to the perfect start on Saturday as Giordano Colli’s early strike secured a 1-0 win over Inglewood United at Perth Plasterboard Centre Stadium.
In what was their first game since the competition split in two, Richard Garcia’s side dominated for long periods and were far more comfortable winners than the scoreline suggests.
What proved to be the only goal of a nevertheless entertaining encounter arrived with just two minutes on the clock, Colli’s inswinging free-kick from wide out on the left appearing to take home ‘keeper Alex Dunn by surprise and curling its way into the top corner.
Colli, who had also scored the opener against the same opponents a week earlier, went agonisingly close to making it 2-0 in the 26th minute, capping a bursting run to the edge of the box by firing in a low shot which beat Dunn only to cannon back out off the foot of the post.
The hosts, meanwhile, took until early in the second half to seriously threaten the Glory goal, Sam Reilly twice denying Abdul Sesay after his defence had struggled to clear their lines.
Colli then missed a chance to effectively wrap up the three points when he failed to get a decent connection on a fine cross from the overlapping Josh Rawlins, but Glory still managed to secure the three points courtesy of some dogged defending which halted Inglewood’s late surge in its tracks.
In the day’s other games, meanwhile, the Under-18s enjoyed an emphatic 6-1 win and the Under-20s went down to a 2-1 defeat.
The Under-18s and Under-20s return to action on Tuesday evening when they host Rockingham City at 1620 Capital Stadium, with the games kicking off at 6pm and 8pm respectively.
The First Team will then also take on the same opponents at the same venue on Wednesday evening (kick-off at 7pm).
Match Details
Inglewood United 0 Perth Glory 1 (Colli 2′)
Half-time: 0-1
Referee: Joshua Nixon
Inglewood United: 1.Alex DUNN, 2.Alex ISHIDA-LIVINGS, 4.Scott BLACKMORE (C), 5.Thiak KUEL, 11.Abdul SESAY, 14.Steve SOKOL, 15.William NICHOLSON, 16.Jamie MURPHY, 17.Mark BARNETT (13.Adrian MANNO 51′), 19.Brodie LANGAN, 23.Robert PETKOV (12.Chad SAMUELS 64′)
Substitutes not used: 7.Lal CUNG, 21.Josiah GODFREY
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
Perth Glory: 1.Sam REILLY, 2.Mason TATAFU, 5.Alessandro CIRCATI, 6.Aiki TSUKAMOTO, 7.Joseph FORDE (16.Josh RAWLINS 46′), 8.Chris DONNELL, 9.Bryce BAFFORD (14.Jayden LEADER 87′), 10.Giordano COLLI (3.Fraser DUNLOP 87′), 11.Charlie LEECH (18.Aidan EDWARDS 63′), 15.Aidan COYNE, 17.Nick WALSH
Substitutes not used: 12.Kade WHITE (GK)
Yellow Cards: Colli, Reilly
Red Cards: None
(picture courtesy of Tom McCarthy)
#OneGlory
