Perth Glory recorded their first win of the A-League season with a hard-earned 1-0 victory over Melbourne Heart before a crowd of 13,856 at NIB Stadium.
Perth Glory recorded their first win of the A-League season with a hard-earned 1-0 victory over Melbourne Heart before a crowd of 13,856 at NIB Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The result left Heart winless through their opening three games, while Perth have a win, a draw and a loss.
After a dominant first half in which they had 67 per cent of the possession and six shots to Heart’s two, it took just five minutes in the second half for Jamie Maclaren to give Perth the lead.
After getting past his defender Patrick Kisnorbo, Maclaren blasted his first shot into Andrew Redmayne’s chest before he sent home the follow up.
A nervous looking Perth defence able to hold off Heart as they pressed for the late equaliser.
Golgol Mebrahtu almost levelled it up after 69 minutes when he just missed the chance to get on the end of an Andrea Migliorini cross, Perth goalkeeper Daniel Vukovic able to come out and avert the danger.
David Williams then forced a full-length save from Vukovic on the stroke of full-time to preserve the three points for Perth.
Earlier in the first-half, Heart had the woodwork to thank for not falling behind in just the sixth minute when Scott Jamieson’s corner fell to Sidnei at the back post whose quick turning shot richoceted away off the inside of the upright.
Krisnorbo had Heart’s first chance just moments later when his free header from a well-weighted free kick went just wide of Vukovic’s goal.
Sidnei looked most threatening down the left for Perth in the opening 20 minutes and established a series of chances for the hosts that went unconverted.
And Perth continued to trouble the visitors down the left with Scott Jamieson twice denied as he tried long-range strikes.
First with a volley from beyond the box that was headed away by Kisnorbo on the goal line and then by the woodwork as he tried to curl one into the top corner.
Ryo Nagai missed another clear chance for Perth Glory on the stroke of the half when he fresh aired a cross from Sidnei with only Redmayne in goal to beat.
Two minutes out from the break Mebrahtu had Heart’s first shot since Krisnorbo’s header but sent the volley wide of the goal.
Kisnorbo was substituted out of the game in the 63rd-minute after he appeared to injure a knee in the clash with Maclaren, which resulted in the Perth goal.
Perth Glory 1 (Maclaren 50′)
Melbourne Heart
Crowd: 13,856 @ NIB Stadium
