An energetic AIS has ended a two-game losing streak in the Foxtel National Youth League with a 4-2 victory over Perth Glory at Percy Doyle Reserve on Sunday.
An energetic AIS has ended a two-game losing streak in the Foxtel National Youth League with a 4-2 victory over Perth Glory at Percy Doyle Reserve on Sunday.
Glory took the lead in the eighth minute, but the AIS scored the next four goals, including three in the second half, to secure their first points since a draw in Round 4.
Central midfielder Anthony Kalik cancelled out Ndumbe Makeche’s opener in the first half before Dylan Smith put the AIS ahead just one minute into the second.
Bai Antoniou and Matthew Schmidt then scored goals within three minutes of each other to ensure the travelling AIS left Perth on a winning note.
Aleksandar Jovic scored a late consolation goal for Glory, but it was too late to prevent the home side from crashing to their fifth defeat from seven matches this season.
Sunday’s match was played at a high intensity despite the warm weather in Perth as both teams looked to claim vital points and climb the National Youth League table.
Glory came into the match on the back of a two-game winning streak after dropping their first four matches, while the AIS had suffered consecutive defeats in the past fortnight.
Marc Marino looked set to open the scoring for the AIS in the eighth minute when he ran on to high ball and had only goalkeeper Jack Duncan to beat.
But Duncan was able to block the shot, collect the ball and clear it over the AIS defensive line, putting Makeche in an identical situation to what Marino was only moments earlier.
The only difference was Makeche found the back of the net.
The AIS was left frustrated after Schmidt hit the right post and Mark Ochieng was unable to score on the rebound in the 33rd minute, but agony soon turned to ecstasy for the visitors only five minutes later when Kalik slammed the ball home from close range.
Makeche attempted a lob shot over AIS goalkeeper Lucas Spinella one minute before half-time, but the ball sailed over the crossbar and both teams went into the break on level pegging.
Smith stunned the home side when he weaved his way through Glory’s defence to score less than a minute after half-time and give AIS the lead.
Victory for the AIS was all but assured when substitute Antoniou knocked a brilliant cross from Ochieng into the back of the net in the 67th minute.
Schmidt then added salt to Glory’s wounds three minutes later with a nice volley from a corner.
Jovic put his name on the scoresheet and gave the defeated Glory something to smile about in the 88th minute when he pounced on a beautifully weighted cross from teammate Harry O’Brien.
Perth Glory 2 (Makeche 8m, Jovic 88m)
AIS 4 (Kalik 38m, Smith 46m, Antoniou 67m, Schmidt 70m)
Played at Percy Doyle Reserve
Perth Glory: 1. Jack Duncan (GK), 2. Joshua Tucker, 4. Mark Burnett (3. David Stokoe 53m), 5. Sean Troup, 7. Darcy Cosgrove (6. Blamo Qua Qua 59m), 8. Jacob Collard, 9. Ndumba Mekeche 10. Harry O’Brien, 11. Borbor Sam (16. Aleksandar Jovic 59m), 14. Isaka Cernak, 15. Brandon O’Neill
Unused substitute:
12. Fraser Greenwood (GK)
Yellow cards:
Nil
AIS: 2. Darcy Madden, 5. Matthew Schmidt, 6. Matthew Ntoumenopoulos, 10. Dylan Smith, 11. Marc Marino (24. Bai Antoniou 61m), 12. Mark Ochieng, 17. Anthony Kalik (16. Jordan Pudler 61m), 18. Alexander Gersbach, 21. George Timotheou (11. Marc Marino 73m), 23. Rocco Pizzata (4. Benjamin Warland 61m), 30. Lucas Spinella (GK)
Unused substitute:
20. Andre Jannese (GK)
Yellow cards:
Mark Ochieng 75m
