Glory secured a first clean sheet of the season as they fought out a 0-0 draw in the club’s first ever home meeting with A-League new boys, Macarthur FC on Saturday afternoon.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268486001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6251401472001
The men in purple dominated for much of the second half in particular with Bruno Fornaroli striking the post and Diego Castro, Chris Ikonomidis and substitute Carlo Armiento also all going close to breaking the deadlock.
But while ultimately unable to find a way through a stubborn Bulls rearguard, Glory remained defensively solid themselves and in doing so, enabled the evergreen Liam Reddy to set a new all-time A-League record for clean sheets.
And while disappointed not to have claimed all three points, Head Coach Richard Garcia was pleased with many aspects of his side’s performance.
https://players.brightcove.net/5498268486001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6251506782001
“It was frustrating because we know we should have taken our chances and scored,” he said, “but the signs are there that the side is back in the right frame of mind.
“It’s a fantastic clean sheet and something that we’ve been searching for all season and trying to work on.
“Thankfully we had a week’s training which has been great to be able to work on it and I thought there was only ever going to be one winner today.
“I’m very pleased with the performance, especially in the second half, but it would have been nice to win it.”
An evenly-contested first half was light on in terms of goalmouth action, although both goalkeepers were forced to make one significant save apiece.
Liam Reddy was the first to be called into action, getting down well to his right to keep out an angled shot from Denis Genreau who had latched on to a cross provided by former Glory man James Meredith.
And moments later, Adam Federici produced a fine, sprawling save with his legs to foil Fornaroli after the hosts’ top scorer had been sent in on goal by a clever through-ball from Castro.
Glory began the second half in purposeful fashion, Castro fizzing a low shot centimetres wide of the upright inside the opening two minutes and Armiento then firing straight at Federici soon after.
As the home side continued to press, Fornaroli struck the near post with a fierce effort having linked up effectively once again with Castro and when the rebound fell for Ikonomidis, he was unable to keep his follow-up shot down.
Macarthur did respond by creating a chance of their own just after the hour-mark, Matt Derbyshire unable to convert a fine cross from substitute Michael Ruhs, but Glory soon regained the ascendancy and Fornaroli went close again, this time via a header from Armiento’s deep centre.
And the lively Armiento was then involved in Glory’s final chance of the game six minutes from time, driving in a crisp cross-shot which just eluded fellow-substitute Andy Keogh as he slid in.
Match Details
Perth Glory 0 Macarthur FC 0
Half-time: 0-0
HBF Park, Perth
Referee: Ben Abraham
Perth Glory: 33.Liam REDDY (gk), 2.Jason GERIA (23.Dane INGHAM 82′), 5.Jonathan ASPROPOTAMITIS (29.Darryl LACHMAN 88′), 6.Osama MALIK (15.Brandon WILSON 46′), 7.Chris IKONOMIDIS (10.Andy KEOGH 76′), 8.Kosuke OTA, 9.Bruno FORNAROLI, 11.Joel CHIANESE (20.Carlo ARMIENTO 46′), 13.Luke BODNAR, 17.Diego CASTRO, 88.Neil KILKENNY
Substitutes not used: 1.Tando VELAPHI (gk), 38.Ciaran BRAMWELL
Yellow Cards: Armiento
Red Cards: None
Macarthur FC: 1.Adam FEDERICI (gk),2. Jake MCGING (22.Liam ROSE 70′), 3.Antony GOLEC, 4.Benat ETXEBARRIA (14. Moudi NAJJAR 79′), 5.Mark MILLIGAN (c), 8.Denis GENREAU, 10.Loic PUYO (19. Michael RUHS 56′), 12.James MEREDITH (23. Walter SCOTT 70′), 24.Charles M’MOMBWA (29.Antonis MARTIS 56′), 27.Matt DERBYSHIRE, 31.Lachlan ROSE
Substitutes not used: 16. Nick SUMAN (gk), 21.Jake HOLLMAN
Yellow Cards: Genreau, Golec
Red Cards: None
#OneGlory
