Diego Castro and Andy Keogh struck in either half to help Perth Glory defeat Adelaide United 2-0 on Friday night and set a club record as they edged closer to the Hyundai A-League Premiers’ Plate.
Castro struck a deflected opener late in the first half before Keogh pounced on a horror giveaway from Isaias five minutes after arriving into the fray as a second half substitute to push Tony Popovic’s side nine points clear at the summit, with closest rivals Sydney FC due to host Melbourne City on Sunday evening.
The victory took Glory to a club record 15 wins in a single Hyundai A-League regular season.
Keogh’s match-sealer was his 13th of the campaign – the Irishman’s best ever Hyundai A-League tally – and has the Western Australians primed to win their first silverware of the A-League era after another display of graft and class in the City of Churches.
Spanish magician Castro had spurned a glorious opportunity to break the deadlock moments before his opener after Adelaide goalkeeper Paul Izzo parried Christopher Ikonomidis’ curler into his path, only for the former La Liga veteran to fluff his lines with the goal gaping.
But El Maestro swiftly atoned for that error when he wriggled into space inside the box and steered in his sixth goal of the season via a fortunate deflection of Scott Galloway which left Izzo wrong-footed.
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The Adelaide custodian had previously thwarted Joel Chianese – deputising for the benched Keogh – in the matches opening minutes and pulled off a stunning reflex save to deny the Glory front man’s point-blank header on the cusp of half time.
His firm command of the area provided Marco Kurz’s men with the impetus they needed to hunt an equaliser in the second half, and the hosts ensured opposite number Liam Reddy was kept alert to quell Adelaide’s encouraging response after the interval.
However, it was Keogh who eased Glory nerves when he pounced on Isaias’ uncharacteristic giveaway before streaking into the clear and burying a nerveless finish past Izzo to ice proceedings.
MOST WINS IN A SEASON: Perth Glory on cusp of club record
WATCH FOR FREE: How to watch the Hyundai A-League LIVE and FREE
Re-live all the action in the LIVE BLOG below as Perth Glory continued their march toward Hyundai A-League silverware.
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