Perth Glory began their 2017/18 Foxtel Y-League campaign with a slightly unfortunate 3-1 defeat against Adelaide United at Dorrien Gardens on Sunday.
The Glory youngsters created numerous chances, but were left with only Yagoub Mustafa’s second-half effort to show for all their attacking promise, while Adelaide’s hero was Apostolos Stamatelopoulos who bagged all three of his side’s goals.
And Glory Head Coach John Gibson felt that his side deserved more from the game.
“We’re disappointed with the result, but super happy with large periods of the game,” he said.
“We need to be more ruthless in front of goal; we created a number of good chances but didn’t execute, so we need to have more confidence in the final third. I thought we dominated for large periods today, but it doesn’t mean anything because we’ve lost 3-1.
“Fair play to their striker (Stamatelopoulos) scoring a hat trick, but I thought we finished strongly, the only downside is we conceded three goals, three really poor goals. We will get back to training this week and prepare for our game in two weeks’ time against Brisbane Roar.”
Glory skipper Hayden Stevens echoed Gibson’s comments and emphasised the need to bounce back in the next game of what is a very short and intense season.
“I’m really disappointed we couldn’t start the season with a win,” he said, “but we made it hard for ourselves and mistakes cost us. I think they had four efforts on goal and scored three of them, while we created numerous chances, but we need to be more clinical. We will look to improve for our next game.”
It was a lively start to the game with Luke Bodnar firing wide for Glory, while a Kristin Konstandopoulos shot from the edge of the box flashed wide for the visitors.
As the half wore on Glory started to get on top and created a number of good chances, but found Adelaide ‘keeper Issac Richards in fine form.
First Mustafa’s cross from the left picked out Chok Dau who saw his header well saved and moments later, Michael Domfeh was sent clear, but the Adelaide custodian stood tall to deny him.
On the half hour, however, it was the Reds who took the lead against the run of play.
Konstandopoulos played in Charlie Devereux down the left and his low cross was turned home by Stamatelopoulos at the back post.
It was now Adelaide who were dictating terms and Devereux was denied by a last-ditch tackle from Ollie Annis before Stamatelopoulos saw an effort cleared off the line.
And seven minutes into the second half, the visitors doubled their lead.
Stamatelopoulos raced down the left, cut inside his marker and although his first shot was blocked, the striker’s follow-up effort gave home ‘keeper Jackson Lee no chance.
Glory then enjoyed a let-off when Devereux hit the post and to their credit, Gibson’s men subsequently rallied and forced their way back into the contest 20 minutes from time.
Mustafa nipped in when Adelaide ‘keeper Richards dwelt on the ball and the Glory striker made him pay, pinching it off his toe and rolling it into an empty net.
With their tails up, the hosts pressed for an equaliser and substitute Bayley Brown-Montgomery saw a header saved low by Richards before Henry Hore stung the keeper’s palms.
But Glory were then caught out by the classic sucker-punch in stoppage time when Stamatelopoulos broke away and applied a clinical finish to secure his hat-trick and three points for the visitors.
Glory Youth are back in Foxtel Y-League action on December 3rd when they host Brisbane Roar at Dorrien Gardens.
Match Details
Perth Glory 1 (Mustafa 70‘) Adelaide United 3 (Stamatelopoulos 30’, 52’, 90+1)
Half Time 0-1
Dorrien Gardens, West Perth
Referee: Shane Skinner
Perth Glory: GK Jackson LEE, 2 Luke BODNAR, 3 Filip GOJAK, 4 Hayden STEVENS (c), 5 Ollie ANNIS, 6 Henry HORE, 7 Jack LEECH, 8 Chok DAU, 9 Michael DOMFEH (12 Bayley BROWN-MONTGOMERY 57’), 10 Michael MCDOUGALL (14 Gomo DUKULY 63’), 11 Yagoub MUSTAFA
Subs not used: RGK Kyle MCDONALD, 13 Cameron MURRAY,
Yellow Cards: Stevens 45+1’, Hore 48’, Leech 72’
Adelaide United: GK Isaac RICHARDS, 4 Jared CLARK (2 Cooper NUNN 27’), 6 Hamish MCCABE, 10 Charlie DEVEREUX (c), 11 Carlo ARMIENTO (5 Kyle CROUT 58’), 14 Blake CARPENTER, 15 Liam MCCABE, 16 Kristin KONSTANDOPOULOS (9 Ninko BERIC 73’), 17 Louis D’ARRIGO, 18 Lachlan BROOK, 19 Apostolos STAMATELOPOULOS
Subs not used: RGK Cameron COOK
Yellow Cards: Nil
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