Perth Glory’s Youth Team has enjoyed a successful Saturday afternoon at home with a clinical display against Melbourne Victory to take a 3-1 win at Members Equity Stadium.
Perth Glory-s Youth Team has enjoyed a successful Saturday afternoon at home with a clinical display against Melbourne Victory to take a 3-1 win at Members Equity Stadium.
Two late strikes sealed a deserved win for the young West Aussies who looked in control throughout the match to consolidate their spot in the top four.
“We played some of the best football we-ve played all year,” said former Glory great and Youth Team Assistant Coach Scott Miller after the match.
“Guys like Andrija Jukic and Scotty Neville have been great throughout the season, and were again today, but we also had plenty of other boys that stood up and that-s really pleasing as we develop these young players,” Miller said.
Glory opened the scoring in the 17th minute through striker Eli Babalj and took that lead into the break. Melbourne pegged one back just after the restart but Glory-s continual forward pressure eventually paid off as the home side scored twice in ten minutes to take the spoils.
Perth skipper Andrija Jukic continued his outstanding form with a wonderful curling free kick that evaded Victory-s wall to reclaim the lead in the 77th minute before an attack minded Reece Vittiglia added a third just before the final whistle.
Both sides were out to make their presence felt in the opening minutes but it was Perth who struck first when Ryan Pearson produced an incisive run into the box to sneak a low cross past the defence for Babalj to slot home as the near post.
Minutes later, Babalj was at it again, forcing Mitch Langerak in the Victory goal into a good block from close range, the ‘keeper also beating away a follow-up effort from Jukic.
The Victory were struggling to hold onto possession through the middle and were on the end of numerous Glory attacks although their cause wasn’t helped by the forced substitution of first-team regular Evan Berger, who had to be taken off in the 10th minute after copping a Vittiglia free kick to the face.
Just after the half-hour Babalj did well to hold the ball up close to goal before giving it off to Howard Fondyke who forced Langerak into another save.
Several substitutions at the half ensured the Victory came out with more intent and drew level in the 50th minute through Nathan Elasi.
Melbourne has a number of other good opportunities but didn-t make the most of them and were punished when Glory were handed a free kick on the 18-yard line in unusual circumstances.
Back-up Victory stopper Sebastian Matteii, on for Langerak at half-time, was penalised for holding the ball for longer than six seconds as he shaped to take a goal kick and conceded a free kick that was beautifully curled into the top corner by Jukic.
Glory added some sheen to the score line three minutes from time when Vittiglia pounced on a ball on the edge of the box and slammed it home.
Perth will take plenty of positives from their performance ahead of a tough clash against the table topping Sydney Youth side next weekend in NSW.
NATIONAL YOUTH LEAGUE Rd 11
Perth Glory 3 (Eli Babalj 17-, Andrija Jukic 77-, Reece Vittiglia 87-)
Melbourne Victory 1 (Nathan Elasi 50-)
Members Equity Stadium, Saturday 6 December
Local kick off 3.00pm
Referee: Troy Miller
Perth Glory: 1.Dejan ALEKSIC (gk), 2.Ryan PEARSON, 3.Scott NEVILLE, 4.Steven HESKETH (6.Dean EVANS 56-), 7.James SAMMUT, 8.Howard FONDYKE (5.Lewis HALL 60-), 11.Ludovic BOI, 12.Reece VITTIGLIA (17.Mark LEE (OA) 56-), 13.Andrija JUKIC, 18.David TARKA (OA), 19.Eli BABALJ
Yellow cards: Andrija JUKIC 45-
Red cards: nil
Melbourne Victory: 1.Mitchell LANGERAK (gk), (20.Sebastian MATTEI (gk) 45-), 2.Sebastian RYALL, 3.Steven PACE (OA), 4.Matthew FOSCHINI, 5.Daniel VASILEVSKI (OA) (14.Mifit BOJKU 45-), 6.Cameron DRAKE, 8.Leigh BROXHAM, 9.Mathew THEODORE, 10.Milos LUJIC (11.Dimitri HATZIMOURATIS 45-), 12.Evan BURGER (7.Aziz BEHICH 15-), 15.Nathan ELASI,
Yellow cards: Daniel VASILEVSKI 20-, Nathan ELASI 26-, Mifit BOJKU 72-, Leigh BROXHAM 88-, Milos LUJIC 91-
Red cards: Aziz BEHICH 92-
