Perth Glory have snapped a four-match winless run, returning to form at ME Bank Stadium through a solid 2-0 victory over Sydney FC on Sunday afternoon.
Despite struggling throughout an underwhelming first half, the Glory lifted the intensity after half-time as goals from Scott Bulloch and Branko Jelic secured the win.
Sydney created several opportunities in the first half, although many of them were more long-range chances than concrete shots at goal, while substitute striker John Aloisi continued his barren run of form against Perth, missing a great chance late in the game to equalise before Jelic fired truly.
The result sees Perth climb above Wellington into fifth on the Hyundai A-League table as Sydney misses the chance to re-take top position from Melbourne, after the Victory leapfrogged the Sky Blues through their 1-0 win over Brisbane on Saturday night.
Having lost midfielder Wayne Srhoj to suspension and with marquee man Mile Sterjovski starting off the bench after suffering a virus, Glory coach Dave Mitchell opted to field an experimental line-up that struggled to gel throughout the first half.
Coming up against Mitchell’s unpredictable selections, that saw him move Adriano Pellegrino to central midfield and Scott Bulloch into a striking role, Sydney opted for a cagey opening as it too tried to find its rhythm without injured skipper Steve Corica.
The first real shot on goal came from the visitors as Karol Kisel worked his way forward and unleashed a powerful effort narrowly over the bar in the 16th minute.
Perth was fortunate a header from Mark Bridge 10 minutes later glanced wide of the post, the hosts’ only real opportunity for the half being from a mis-placed header over the bar by Sydney defender Stephan Keller from a corner.
Alex Brosque looked especially dangerous, using his pace and skill to cut open Perth’s defence, especially when he set up an unmarked Bridge, whose powerful 41st-minute effort was punched around the post by Tando Velaphi.
Perth’s Todd Howarth was substituted at half-time for Sterjovski, allowing the marquee man to take his spot on the left flank. Almost immediately the Glory looked a more creative force going forward, finally putting some pressure on Sydney’s back four.
Six minutes after the break some fancy Sterjovski footwork saw the former Derby man work his way into a shooting position, although he fired wide. However Sydney failed to heed the warning as the Glory went ahead in the 57th minute.
Jamie Coyne delivered a dangerous long ball from the right that took a slight deflection allowing Bulloch, in his first start for the campaign, to glance the ball home, stunning the visitors.
Bulloch’s reward was to be immediately substituted for Dutchman Victor Sikora, although the Glory continued to dominate possession as Sydney struggled to break down their defence.
Perth came close to doubling the advantage when Sterjovski set up Branko Jelic in the 78th minute, the striker’s flicked effort well taken by Clint Bolton, with the Sky Blues taking their chance to up the ante.
Second-half substitute Aloisi glanced a header wide of goal from a Kisel free kick, while the former Socceroos’ striker flashed an effort over the bar in the 84th minute with the goal at his mercy after a collision between Tando Velaphi and Andy Todd left the Glory stopper on the ground.
The misses came back to haunt Sydney as the Glory doubled the lead with two minutes remaining. A barnstorming run and slick pass from Todd released Sterjovski with the Socceroo squaring the ball for an emphatic finish from Jelic.
There was still time for newly-signed Glory youngster Tommy Amphlett to look dangerous as Sydney lost its second consecutive match for the first time this season.
Glory coach Dave Mitchell said afterwards it was one of those days where his planning simply worked out.
“We hadn’t won in four weeks and it was important for us to win today and it was nice to keep a clean sheet,” he said.
“We were a bit nervous the first half and there was quite a few changes, so the game plan was to go in at half-time with a clean sheet and then have a go at them in the second half which, luckily enough, it panned out.”
Sydney coach Vitezslav Lavicka backed his side to come back brighter as it looked to return to the winner’s circle.
“You have a look at our change room, every player is disappointed of course,” he said.
“(But) every good team is able to show character when they lose a game, now we have the chance to do that next week.”
Perth Glory 2 (Bulloch 57, Jelic 88)
Sydney FC 0
Crowd: 8932 at Perth’s ME Bank Stadium
