Perth Glory has come away with a 2-2 draw against Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday, capping off the Festive Feast of Football with seven points in seven days.
It didn’t take long for Glory to take the lead at nib Stadium, with Diego Castro scoring his second goal in as many games in the 2nd minute, this one from the penalty spot.
The Spaniard was played into the box and then taken down by a charging Andrew Redmayne. He stepped up to take the spot kick himself, firing it into the lower left corner past a diving Redmayne.
Santalab equalised in the 20th minute from a well-executed set-piece from a corner kick, Brendon Santalab with the finish from the centre of the penalty box.
Mitchell Oxborrow gave Glory their second lead of the match in the 60th minute, with a rocket of a free kick. The 20-year-old lined up to take the free kick from 25 metres out, firing it over the wall and into the top corner past Redmayne.
Former Glory midfielder Mitch Nichols drew Wanderers level once again in the 81st minute. Romeo Castelen dribbled along the edge of the box before sliding it to an open Nichols, who curled home with his right boot.
Despite holding the lead on two occasions, a 2-2 draw remains a solid result for Glory, snapping Wanderers’ seven-game winning streak, dating back to the 24th of October.
KEY MOMENTS
- 23’ Two quick chances for Wanderers off a free kick, Aguilar’s first shot saved by Ante Covic and his second blocked by Gyorgy Sandor
- 40’ Sandor takes a crack from distance but his shot goes just wide of the far post
- 54’ Jamal Reiners is played behind the defence but before he can race into the box, he’s knocked down from behind
- 56’ Mitch Nichols fires on target from a tight angle, but Covic is in position to make the catch
- 62’ Nichols with another crack, but Oxborrow slides in to make the block
- 64’ Scott Jamieson rifles a shot from just inside the box, but Covic is there to collect
- 74’ A speculative effort from outside the box fired high and wide by Nichols
- 80’ Scott Neville wins a header on a corner kick but skies it over the bar
- 82’ Chris Harold strikes on target from outside the box, but Redmayne snatches it out of the air
- 84’ Harold again, this time on the break, but his shot is blocked by Topor-Stanley out for a corner kick
- 88’ Romeo Castelen has a shot blocked, but it lands to Federico Piovaccari who shoots on target, headed away by Aryn Williams in front of goal
WHATÂ THEY SAID
KENNY LOWE:Â
“It’s been a good week for everyone. Everyone seems happy and confident. It breeds a lot of togetherness as well.”
“They’re a super team, but you know what, on the night, we did ever so well. We caused them problems in the first half, and we changed our shape in the second half and we created chances. I’m so proud of the team.”
“You always feel you want the three points, you’re always greedy. If you get one point, you want three. If you get three points you want five, that’s just the way it is.”
TEAMS
Perth Glory: 1. Ante COVIC (GK), 2.Alex GRANT, 7, Gyorgy SANDOR, 13.Diogo FERREIRA, 15.Hagi GLIGOR (Chris Harold 46’), 17. Diego CASTRO, 18. Mitchell OXBORROW (Richard Garcia 71’), 19. Josh RISDON (C), 23.Michael THWAITE, 28. Joseph KNOWLES (Jamal Reiners 46’), 29. Aryn WILLIAMS
Western Sydney Wanderers: 3. Scott JAMIESON, 4. Nikolai TOPOR-STANLEY (C), 6. Mitch NICHOLS, 10. Dario VIDOSIC, 11. Brendon SANTALAB (Federico Piovaccari 68’), 12. Scott NEVILLE, 16. Jaushua SOTIRIO (Romeo Castelen 57’) , 17. Alberto AGUILAR, 18. ANDREU, 20. Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), 21. Jacob PEPPER
Scorers: Diego Castro 3’, Brendon Santalab 20’, Mitchell Oxborrow 60’, Mitch Nichols 81’
Red cards:Â nil
Yellow cards: Oxborrow 22’, Gligor 44’, Grant 49’, Aguilar 65’, Andreu 71’, Risdon 79’
Conditions: 22°C, clear
Attendance: 7049
Glory’s next match is Sunday away to Melbourne Victory.
Kick-off for that match is 2:00pm AWST, broadcast live on Fox Sports 505
