Perth Coach Dave Mitchell has called on the FFA to be an innovator in the world game and initiate a trial of video replays in Hyundai A-League matches.
Perth Coach Dave Mitchell has called on the FFA to be an innovator in the world game and initiate a trial of video replays in Hyundai A-League matches.
The comments came after a crucial penalty decision was given against the Glory late in their match against Adelaide which dumbfounded everyone except the referee who pointed immediately to the spot.
Glory skipper Jamie Coyne was adjudged to have brought down Adelaide-s Lucas Pantelis inside in the penalty area in the 81st minute, however television replays not only showed the challenge took place well outside the box but also that it was a clean tackle which cleared the ball.
“At normal speed its can be hard to be sure if it is inside or out of the box. If you can call upstairs and get help on the decision then it will be a more educated outcome,” Mitchell said.
“It-s used in other codes and I don-t think it would hurt to take a look at it in football.
“Why don-t we try it in one league around the world at least and see if it could be a benefit?” Mitchell said.
With scores locked at 1-all the resultant spot kick was converted by Travis Dodd to snatch a point from Perth’s grasp.
A wonderful strike from Nikita Rukavytsya, his third of the season, opened the scoring in the 55th minute and gave Glory an edge which they had worked hard all day to achieve.
Five minutes earlier Coyne came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock when his crisp low drive from 20 metres beat Mark Birighitti in the United goal only to strike the foot of the post and rebound away to safety.
Adelaide emptied their bench in a bid to find new avenues to goal and they were rewarded as Dodd and Cassio played their part in the home side-s fight back.
Cassio-s probing down the left eventually created some room for fellow-substitute Robert Younis to work with and on 79 minutes his low cross was swept home from close range by Alemao.
Three minutes later it was Dodd who stepped up to take the controversial spot kick and his conversion completed the Red-s revival.
Glory-s Dino Djulbic and Adrian Trindad were introduced late in the piece, but United showed in midweek that they have mastered the art of holding a lead, and duly ran the clock down to secure a fortuitous victory.
“A lot had been said about Adelaide and how they-d back up for this game after an intense week but from out point of view it was about us today and I thought we performed admirably. We did well and were unlucky we didn-t get something out of the game,” Mitchell said.
“We went at them and I felt we should have got something today and perhaps unjustly we didn-t.”
However Mitchell put his obvious disappointment and frustration at the outcome of the match aside to single out Aurelio Vidmar and Adelaide for their terrific performance to reach the final of the Asian Champions League.
“What Adelaide has achieved just by making the final has been outstanding and it-s great for Australian football. They-ve had an amazing run and we-d like to wish them all the best in the final,” Mitchell said.
Perth have four of their next five matches at home, starting with Wellington on Sunday 2 November, and will look to recapture the form that-s delivered two wins from their last two starts at Members Equity Stadium.
“We-ve had a bit of hiccup before but the boys are looking solid and we-ve got to get something out of these next games at home. If we perform like we did today then I believe we can get something.”
Adelaide United 2 (Alemao 79-, Travis Dodd 82-(pen))
Perth Glory 1 (Nikita Rukavytsya 55-)
Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
Sunday 26 October 2008
Referee: Strebre Delovski
Assistant Referees: Paul Cetrangolo & Daniel Goodwin
Fourth Official: Matthew Cream
Crowd: 10,126
Perth Glory line-up: 30.Tando VELAPHI (gk), 2.Nikolai TOPOR-STANLEY, 4.Jamie COYNE (c), 5.Jamie HARNWELL, 10.AMARAL, 11.Scott BULLOCH (6.Dino DJULBIC 84-), 13.Nikita RUKAVYTSYA, 16.Adriano PELLEGRINO, 17.James DOWNEY, 18.Hayden FOXE, 19.Naum SEKULOVSKI (9.Adrian TRINIDAD 84-).
Substitutes Not Used: 20.Frank JURIC (gk), 22.Wayne SRHOJ.
Yellow Cards: Amaral 51-, Jamie Coyne 81-.
Red Cards: Nil
Adelaide United line-up: 30.Mark BIRIGHITTI (gk), 2.Robert CORNTHWAITE, 3.ALEMAO, 5.Michael VALKANIS, 7.Lucas PANTELIS (c), 8.Kristian SARKIES (13.Travis DODD 58-), 10.CRISTIANO (25.Robert YOUNIS 78-), 14.Scott JAMIESON, 15.Jonas SALLEY (6.CASSIO 68′), 19.Sasa OGNENOVSKI, 22.DIEGO.
Substitutes Not Used: 40.Lucas ANDREUCCI (gk).
Yellow Cards: Alemao 9-, Michael Valkanis 27-, Sasa Ognenovski 66-.
Red Cards: Nil
