Goals from Jake Barker-Daish, Hernan Espindola and Anthony Proia saw the AIS upset previously unbeaten Perth Glory 3-0 in Round 5 of the National Youth League in Canberra.
The Institute were clinical in front of goal, converting nearly all their opportunities, to gain the three points despite their opponents having the better of the play for much of the match.
Playing into a strong breeze in the first half the AIS struggled to get into any sort of rhythm with most of the game dominated by the Glory who fashioned the best half chances of a dour opening period.
Lively centre forward Andrija Jukic looked the most likely in the opening stanza proving a constant source of menace to the Institute defence which was put under severe pressure by the Glory attackers whenever in possession.
Jukic, one of two overage players in the Perth line-up, forced AIS ‘keeper Paul Izzo into a smart save after four minutes before stealing the ball off the dawdling ‘keeper fifteen minutes later, sliding in from his blindside, to almost pinch an unlikely goal.
It was therefore against the run of play that the AIS took the lead after 26 minutes. Glory defender Brent Griffiths attempted to shepherd the ball to safety only to be robbed by Jesse Markarounas, who kept his cool to square to Barker-Daish, leaving the striker with the easiest of tap-ins from close range to open the scoring.
Despite the setback the Glory continued to monopolise possession and threatened to equalise on a number of occasions. Sahr Musa shot straight at Izzo when well placed and Dean Evans headed wide from a glorious Cameron Edwards corner as Perth poured forward but failed to find the breakthrough required.
Within three minutes of the restart the Glory were made to pay for their profligacy when the home side went 2-0 ahead. A swift counter-attack culminated in the sparkling Melvin Becket driving a vicious shot across goal that was brilliantly saved at full stretch by Timothy Doyle. From the resultant corner Milos Degenek swung the ball into the near post where Espindola ghosted in unmarked to volley into the net.
Trailing 2-0 Glory-s afternoon got worse in the 63rd minute when defender Josh Mitchell was dismissed for a late challenge on AIS substitute Anthony Proia and with Mitchell so went any chances of a Perth comeback.
With the numerical advantage the AIS were able to dictate the tempo for the remainder of the match competently dealing with the sporadic Perth raids before adding to their tally in stoppage time.
Proia took advantage of a defensive lapse to advance on goal and drive a low right-foot shot beyond Doyle and into the far corner to secure the points on a bitterly cold afternoon.
AIS: 3 (Jake Barker-Daish 26-, Hernan Espindola 48-, Anthony Proia 90-)
Perth Glory: 0
AIS: 30. Paul Izzo (gk) (1. Aaron Lennox (gk) 45-), 2. Jake Monaco, 7. Jesse Markarounas, 8. Jason Geria (26. Kevin Davison 59-), 9. Aaron Peterson (25. Anthony Proia 59-), 10. Jake Barker-Daish (23. Brodie Paterson 41-, 9. Aaron Peterson 82-), 11. Kwabena Boahene, 12. Melvin Becket, 16. Milos Degenek, 19. Hernan Espindola, 21. Conor Chapman
Yellow cards: 23. Brodie Paterson 47-
Red cards: Nil
Perth Glory: 1. Timothy Doyle (gk), 2. Joshua Ridson, 3. Brent Griffiths, 4. Josh Mitchell, 5. Dean Evans, 6. Storm Roux, 7. Cameron Edwards, 10. Andrija Jukic, 11. Sebit Oyet (8. Brandon O-Neill 24-, 13. Stephen Walmsley 60-), 12. Sahr Musa (9. Billy Quinncroft 56-), 14. Howard Fondyke
Substitutes not used: 20. Jordan Franken (gk)
Yellow cards: Nil
Red cards: 4. Josh Mitchell 63-
