Goals from Nick Carle and Bruno Cazarine were enough to secure victory for an impressive Sydney FC side at nib Stadium on Saturday night, although Glory certainly played their part with an improved second-half showing.
Goals from Nick Carle and Bruno Cazarine were enough to secure victory for an impressive Sydney FC side at nib Stadium on Saturday night, although Glory certainly played their part with an improved second-half showing.
“It-s disappointing, Sydney were a lot sharper tonight,” Perth Glory interim head coach said.
Ian Ferguson-s men have made a habit of starting home games strongly in recent weeks, but this time it was the visitors who came flying out of the blocks and seized the initiative right from the off.
Adapting more quickly to the unusually humid conditions, the Sky Blues created two decent chances within the first six minutes, with Tando Velaphi tipping over a 22 metre sighter from Nick Carle before Bruno Cazarine headed narrowly over the bar after climbing highest to meet a Scott Jamieson corner.
With Carle pulling the strings in central midfield, the visitors continued to press forward and on 9 minutes their early pressure told. Carle and Cazarine showed great awareness and close control to play two rapid one-twos before the former dived full length to loop a header that beat the advancing Velaphi and dipped into the back of the net.
Having received an unwelcome wake-up call, the hosts began to up their game and force their way into the contest and by the mid-way point of the half, they were starting to create some chances of their own.
Firstly, skipper Jacob Burns lashed a half-volley over the bar after a Mile Sterjovski corner was only half-cleared to the edge of the box and five minutes later Adriano Pellegrino almost marked his return to the side from suspension with a goal, but his volley flashed wide after fine approach work down the left from the overlapping Naum Sekulovski.
Pellegrino and Sekulovski then combined again to carve out a chance for Scott Neville just after the half-hour mark, only for the young defender to shoot wide as he barrelled in at the far post.
The reigning champions, however, were still enjoying plenty of possession in midfield, with Carle continuing to impress and they created the final opportunity of a largely low-key first period as the in-form Dimitri Petratos saw a close range effort smartly blocked by Velaphi.
Just as they had in the first-half, Sydney looked sharper during the early exchanges of the second, seemingly keen to increase their advantage rather than simply maintain it and they duly did so on 53 minutes.
Again the goal was well worked, Sung-Hwan Byun releasing Petratos down the right and the youngster showing a fine touch to clip the ball on for Cazarine who calmly side-footed under the helpless Velaphi as he raced from his line.
To their credit, Glory launched an immediate response and almost halved the deficit four minutes later. Pellegrino-s flighted through ball sent Sterjovski racing away, he unselfishly dragged the ball back for Robbie Fowler who had a better angle at the top of the box, but the former Liverpool man-s low shot fizzed just wide.
Howarth was next to try his luck, almost embarrassing Ivan Necevski in the Sydney goal with a cross-shot that curled over the flat-footed ‘keeper before landing on the roof of the net rather than in it.
Having switched to a back three as they chased the game, the home side continued to throw bodies forward and their aggressive intent so nearly produced the desired result on 67 minutes. The impressive Pellegrino was again the architect, splitting the Sydney defence wide open with a clever slid-rule pass that sent Sterjovski through on goal, but although the marquee man-s effort beat Necevski, it also screwed agonisingly wide of the far post.
That let-off galvanised the visitors into adopting a more cautious approach and as they increasingly got numbers behind the ball, the home side found it all but impossible to force a way through. Pellegrino continued to probe and Tommy Amphlett looked lively after coming off the bench, but ultimately only one decent shooting opportunity was created in the latter stages and Necevski proved equal to a well-struck low drive from substitute Adam Taggart.
The hosts continued to huff and puff right to the death, but the Sky Blues shut up shop effectively to secure a hard-fought victory that delighted their hardy band of travelling fans.
Hyundai A-League Week 25
Perth Glory 0
Sydney FC 2
nib Stadium, Saturday 29th January 2011
Attendance: 5576
Referee: Gerard Parsons
Fourth official: Josh Manella
Perth Glory: 1. Tando Velaphi (GK), 2. Josh Mitchell, 7.Jacob Burns (C), 9.Robbie Fowler (26. Adam Taggart 76-), 12.Scott Neville, 14.Steven McGarry (15.Howard Fondyke 68-), 16.Adriano Pellegrino, 17. Todd Howarth, 19. Naum Sekulovski, 21.Mile Sterjovski, 24. Josh Risdon (13.Tommy Amphlett 58-).
Substitutes not used: 20. Alex Pearson (GK),
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards:
Sydney FC: 20. Ivan Necevski (GK), 3. Stephan Keller, 6. Hirofumi Moriyasu (12. Shannon Cole 68-), 8. Stuart Musialik, 9. Bruno Cazarine (18. Juho Makela 79-), 10. Nick Carle (2. Sebastian Ryall 78-), 15. Terry McFlynn (C), 17. Matt Jurman, 21. Scott Jamieson, 22. Sung-Hwan Byun, 24. Dimitri Petratos.
Substitutes not used: 30.Dylan Mitchell (GK)
Scorers: Carle 9-, Cazarine 53-
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards:
