Title hopefuls Perth Glory were left ruing a first-half penalty miss from Jess Makarounas as they were held to a 2-2 draw by lowly Adelaide United on Saturday at 6PR Stadium.
Title hopefuls Perth Glory were left ruing a first-half penalty miss from Jess Makarounas as they were held to a 2-2 draw by lowly Adelaide United on Saturday at 6PR Stadium.
The home side led twice but were pegged back on both occasions by a tenacious Reds outfit for whom cracking midfielder Teeboy Kamara again caught the eye.
The Glory virtually monopolised possession right from the off, making light of the punishingly hot conditions in a high-energy display for which Adelaide seemed to have no answer.
Their endeavour yielded an eighth-minute penalty for the hosts when visiting skipper Jordan Elsey was adjudged to have hauled Jesse Makarounas back in the box.
Makarounas took responsibility himself but goalkeeper Paul Izzo denied him with a fine save to his right.
The Reds’ reprieve was to prove a temporary one, however, as just five minutes later Harry O’Brien toe poked home the opener from just outside the box.
Makarounas was edging an intriguing midfield duel with opposite number Kamara, although a header from the Reds go-to man did force Glory goalkeeper Neil Young to make his first save of the match midway through the half.
That half-chance seemed to lift the visitors and they restored parity nine minutes before the break through Elsey.
Evan Kostopoulos’ shot was parried by Young and Elsey made amends for his penalty misdemeanor by rushing home the rebound.
Glory’s response was almost instant, however, as Brandon O’Neill played Makarounas in and the in-form midfielder calmly provided a neat finish past Izzo.
Both sides made a string of changes at the start of the second half and it was the Reds who settled the quicker and reaped the rewards on 55 minutes.
The lively Kamara linked up with Kostopoulos and the rangy striker clipped a low shot past the Glory’s helpless substitute goalkeeper Devon Spence.
Izzo then denied O’Neill at the other end just after the hour mark and from the resulting corner, substitute Albert Negyo clashed a header wide.
With both sides physically tiring, gaps began to open up, the Glory grateful to Spence for keeping the scoreline at 2-2 as he produced a superb reflex save to block a close-range header from Christopher Annicchiarico.
There was still time for Kamara to threaten a last-gasp winner for the visitors but sub Cameron Burgess’ perfectly timed challenge denied him.
Unfortunately for Burgess’ team-mate Clayton Arnez he got the timing all wrong seconds later and the left back received his marching orders for a foul on Awer Mabil, leaving his side to see out the final seconds with 10 men.
Perth Glory 2 (O’Brien 14, Makarounas 37)
Adelaide United 2 (Elsey 36, Kostopoulos 55)
