Perth Glory have collected their first three points of the season after an impressive 1-0 display against Melbourne Heart at an atmospheric nib Stadium.
Perth Glory have collected their first three points of the season after an impressive 1-0 display against Melbourne Heart at an atmospheric nib Stadium.
Youngster Jamie Maclaren secured the victory early in the second half to put Glory in the driving seat with the Perth side showing their creativity by splitting the Heart defense open on a number of occasions.
Both side-s were welcomed to the pitch before the first whistle by a raucous crowd of 13,856 who were clearly excited by the prospect of the game ahead.
The game-s first major opportunity fell to Glory-s Brazillian winger, Sidnei Sciola, who collected the ball in the box and shot towards goal only to see it cannon off the post.
Minutes later Heart had the chance to open the scoring but Patrick Kisnorbo-s glancing header in the box from a free-kick whistled past the post.
But it was Glory looking the most dangerous with Sidnei the main threat as his constant dashing runs and clever crosses proved difficult for the Melbourne side-s defense to deal with.
Scott Jamieson was also proving a handful with the left back curling a strike from outside the box that looped onto the crossbar.
HALF-TIME – GLORY 0-0 MELBOURNE HEART
The second-half couldn-t have started any better for Glory as a slip from Kisnorbo presented Jamie Maclaren with a one-one-one opportunity against Andrew Redmayne. The Heart keeper made a great initial save from Maclaren but the Glory-s No. 10-s showed his awareness and composure to slot the rebound home.
The majority of the 13,856 fans in the nib stadium were ecstatic to see their team go a goal up and even new recruit William Gallas took to twitter to congratulate his new side.
Melbourne Heart slowly started to make their way back into the contest with Andrea Migliorini striking a long-range drive on the hour mark which went inches by the post.
The ever impressive Sidnei reacted instantly to the rare Heart strike by drifting past two opposition defenders before drilling his cross into the box which Redmayne managed to punch away.
It was Maclaren-s chance next as the 20-year-old looked to score his second goal of the game, but his left-footed shot from a tight angle went by the far-side post.
The home side continued to show their grit at the back as Heart searched for an equalizer and it took injury-time save from Danny Vukovic to secure the three points, palming away David Williams- powerful strike from outside the box in the 92nd minute.
That was the last action of the game as Glory gained their first win of the season to jump three places on the Hyundai A=League ladder from 9th to 6th.
Hyundai A-League 2013-2014 Season – Week 3
Perth Glory 1-0 Melbourne Heart (Half-time 0-0)
Nib Stadium
Sunday 27th October
Attendance: 13,856
Referee: Kris Griffiths-Jones
Perth Glory
1. Daniel Vukovic (GK), 4. Ryan Edwards, 5. Steve Pantelidis, 21. Scott Jamieson, 23. Michael Thwaite, 24. Matthew Davies, 7. Jacob Burns (C), 14. Steven McGarry, 8. Ryo Nagai (17. Chris Harold 75), 16. Sidnei Sciola, 10. Jamie Maclaren (20. Daniel De Silva 71-)
Substitutes not used: 18. Jack Duncan (GK), 3. Brandon O-Neill, 6. Cameron Edwards
Scorers: Maclaren 49-
Melbourne Heart
1. Andrew Redmayne (GK), 3. Robbie Wielaert (C), 7. Iain Ramsay, 8. Massimo Murdocca, 11. Michael Mifsud, 14. Golgol Mebrahtu (23. Mate Dugandzic 74-), 15. David Williams, 16. Aziz Behich (21. Stefan Mauk 85-), 17. Jason Hoffman, 24. Patrick Kisnorbo (6. Patrick Gerhardt 52-), 25. Andrea Migliorini
Substitutes not used: 20. Tando Velaphi (GK), 28. Paulo Retre
Thomas Blane
