Perth Glory let a two-goal lead slip to draw 2-2 with Wellington Phoenix in a chaotic, combative Distance Derby at HBF Park on Saturday night.
New Glory signing Jaiden Kucharski bagged his first league goal for the club to put the hosts on top and Adam Taggart quickly doubled the advantage to leave the Phoenix reeling – but Nigerian striker Ifeanyi Eze struck back before the break to give the visitors hope of a Distance Derby comeback.
From two goals down, Wellington got back on level terms in the second half through former Glory winger Carlo Armiento, whose goal against his old side earned Wellington a point in the four-goal encounter.
Three of the four goals in Saturday night’s draw were club-firsts with Kucharski, Eze and Armiento all scoring for the first time in their new club colours.
“How a game can swing,” said Network 10 co-commentator Phil Moss as Armiento celebrated Wellington’s equaliser.
“Only football can dish this up!”
For Glory, the 2-2 draw was a vast improvement on last season’s 6-1 defeat to Macarthur in Round 1 but David Zdrilic’s side ultimately departed HBF Park disappointed not to have capitalised on their two-goal advantage to clinch all three points on Saturday night.
For the Phoenix, however, head coach Giancarlo Italiano promised a fresh approach to the 2025-26 season after an 11th-place finish and that’s exactly what his side delivered in Round 1, but although his side’s high defensive line was exposed time and again in the first half, Italiano will take encouragement from the comeback draw, sealed more than 5,000 kilometres from home.
There were 26 fouls committed and six yellow cards distributed across the board in the chaotic four-goal draw.
“A dramatic distance Derby,” said Network 10 commentator Ben Homer at full-time.
“Gee, it had everything!”
Match highlights
The weekend so far
Melbourne Victory 0-0 Auckland FC
MATCH REPORT: Mata debuts as the spoils are shared in heated instalment of a new A-Leagues rivalry
Western Sydney Wanderers 1-1 Melbourne City
MATCH REPORT: City expose 117-second Wanderers lapse and extend unusual six-year streak
Adelaide United 2-1 Sydney FC
MATCH REPORT: Adelaide see off Sydney FC in pulsating season opener
Brisbane Roar 1-0 Macarthur Bulls
MATCH REPORT: 10-man Brisbane end opening day hoodoo with valiant win over Macarthur
