Perth Glory has moved to the top of the National Youth League with a 2-1 win over Brisbane Roar at Clipsal Stadium in hot conditions on Sunday morning
Perth Glory has moved to the top of the National Youth League with a 2-1 win over Brisbane Roar at Clipsal Stadium in hot conditions on Sunday morning.
“I would say it means a lot to the players,” coach Gareth Naven said.
“For me it-s good to see them get rewarded with the effort and amount of training they have done this season but obviously the focus is to prepare players for the Hyundai A-League.
“They-d be happy today the group, especially given the conditions were quite warm and we kept our intensity for long periods which is good.”
Andrija Jukic scored the opening goal of the contest midway through the first-half after he had come on as a substitution and then Branko Jelic put in a wonder strike from a free-kick just outside the penalty area for the second.
Tim Smits got one back for the Roar in the 81st minute, but the Glory held on for the 2-1 victory.
The Glory now has 12 wins and four draws from 22 matches this season to move ahead of both Central Coast and Adelaide, but they have played one more match than the Reds and two more than the Mariners.
The Roar remains in eighth position with 19 points from 22 games. They are nine points ahead of the AIS, but two adrift of the Newcastle Jets.
The Glory were forced into an early substitution when Cameron Edwards suffered a leg injury and he was replaced by the exciting Jukic.
Perth dominated from the outset, though, with Jelic creating the first good chance on goal early on but he was just wide. Brent Griffiths then had a gettable opportunity with a header from a cross, but it hit the post and somehow bounced back to Roar ‘keeper Matthew Acton.
Josh Risdon then had a good shot saved by Acton, but Jukic finally helped the Glory capitalise on their dominance with a goal in the 29th minute. He found himself in space in the box and had no trouble slotting it past Acton.
Both teams tired in the heat as the second half went on, but kept creating chances and the Glory was rewarded with a free-kick in the 79th minute.
Jelic took it from just outside the box and struck it wonderfully to put it right in the back of the net past the keeper’s left hand.
Just two minutes minutes later the Roar responded when Smits put on a good move to beat the Glory defence and ‘keeper Aleks Vrteski to dribble a goal into the net.
The Glory-s next game is against Adelaide United next Sunday at Hindmarsh Stadium.
National Youth League: Round 24
Sunday 14 February 2010
Clipsal Stadium Inglewood, Perth
Perth Glory: 1 (Jukic 33-)
Brisbane Roar: 0
Perth Glory: 30. Aleks VRTESKI, 2.Ryan PEARSON, 3.Steve HESKETH (c), 4. Brent GRIFFTHS, 5. Joshua RISDON, 6. Dean EVANS, 7. Cameron EDWARDS, 10. Glen TRIFIRO, 12. Reece VITTIGLIA, 14. Branko JELIC, 21. Hayden DOYLE
Substitutes used: 1. Alex PEARSON, 8. Andrija JUKIC, 9. Anthony SKORICH, 11. Anthony SKORICH
Yellow Cards:Doyle, Amphlett
Brisbane Roar: 1. Matthew ACTON, 2. Matthew BYRNE, 3. Alistair QUINN, 4. Michael RYAN, 5. Matthew MUNDY, 6. Isaka CERNAK, 9. Tyler THURTELL, 11. Joshua McVEY (c), 12. Kennth DOUGALL, 15. Antony SCHIAVO, 16.Tim SMITS,
Substitutes used:8. Jordan FARINA, 13. Daniel TESORO, Albert Edward
