This weekend’s Isuzu UTE A-League goal-fest continued on Sunday with a further eight goals as Brisbane Roar beat a disappointing Newcastle Jets 2-0, before Macarthur turned a 2-0 deficit at home to Perth Glory around to prevail 4-2.
Re-live how the action unfolded in KEEPUP’s rolling coverage.
THE SUNDAY AGENDA
- BRISBANE ROAR 2-0 NEWCASTLE JETS (FULL-TIME)
MATCH REPORT: JETS SEND-OFF SPARKS LATE ROAR FLURRY IN 2-0 WIN
- MACARTHUR FC 4-2 PERTH GLORY (FULL-TIME)
MATCH REPORT: Davila inspires 10-man Bulls as 0-2 becomes 4-2
FULL-TIME: MACARTHUR FC 4-2 PERTH GLORY
Macarthur, inspired by the quality of Ulises Davila and Craig Noone, had too much class for Perth Glory to round out a scintillating weekend of Isuzu UTE A-League.
But all hope is not lost for new Perth Glory boss Ruben Zadkovich. Although the club are now winless in 10, their fans enjoyed seeing the temerity of Giordano Colli scoring the fastest goal of the season so far thanks to a free-kick from an audacious distance; then, Trent Ostler celebrated his 20th birthday with a goal that put them 2-0 ahead. Later in the evening, 19-year-old Tyler Vecchio made his debut and was bright down the right.
It is a far cry from a front three of Daniel Sturridge-Bruno Fornaroli-Andy Keogh, which had been mooted for the season, but there were the odd signs of promise – and a much more positive tone from Colli, speaking after match on Paramount+.
“He has changed our whole philosophy and mentality; you saw that in the first-half, but we were not able to finish the job,” he said.
Youth brings fearlessness too, illustrated by Ostler’s determination to punish some lax defence to put Glory 2-0 up.
“He used his body well to get across the defender; great confidence to say: I want the ball, I can do this,” Paramount+ pundit Daniel McBreen observed, adding he showed “perseverance and determination”.
Mark Milligan added: “A real find for Perth, going forward.”:
But in the end, the difference in quality could be summed up by Ante Milicic summoning Tomi Juric and Al Hassan Toure off the bench, to seal a mightily impressive comeback, especially down to 10-men after Charles M’Mombwa’s brain snap to earn a second yellow.
FULL-TIME: A youthful Perth Glory side took a shock 2-0 lead at Campbelltown Stadium before Macarthur’s quality took hold. Despite losing Charles M’Mombwa to two yellow cards, Macarthur roused and took out a 4-2 win with four unanswered goals inspired by Ulises Davila. It consigns Ruben Zadkovich’s side to a 10-match winless run, while Macarthur move up to third, although Glory’s youthful side showed plenty of promise in patches.
“We didn’t make it easy for ourselves,” Bulls star Craig Noone assessed at full-time.
“But we backed ourselves; we knew we had to be patient … but we showed tonight we have a lot of character … that will get us out of trouble.”
90+6′ GOAL MACARTHUR, 4-2! Icing on the cake from Moudi Najjar, with his first ever goal for the club, storming in behind the Glory defence, beautifully picked out by Toure.
82′ GOAL MACARTHUR, 3-2! Boom: Macarthur find the fifth goal of the game on the counter attack via Al Hassan Toure, who steamed in behind Glory’s defence thanks to a divine Davila pass. Brilliant.
78’ SAVE! It is still 2-2 but has the game swung towards Perth? Oxborrow and Bramwell with a handful of chances until one finally tests Kurto at full strength.
64’ RED CARD – a second yellow for M’Mombwa. Macarthur are down to 10! He charged out of a wall before a free-kick had been taken, and to do that on a yellow card is, according to McBreen in co-commentary, “unthinkable”. Macarthur looked on course for three points but are now on the back foot after a couple of decent minutes by Glory. 2-2 as it stands.
59′ SAVE! Lots of positives for Macarthur, but this was as good as any, with Giannou forcing an acrobatic diving stop from veteran Reddy in goal to keep it at 2-2.
53′ GOAL! 2-2. Noone whacks a fierce penalty past Liam Reddy, his fourth goal of the season, to level things up. Aspro the guilty party in the lead-up, with a penalty given after a review via VAR. The Perth player’s hand was away from his body; hard to argue with the decision. “Perth will feel now this game is theirs for the taking,” Paramount+ co-commentator mused.
HALF-TIME: Macarthur 1, Perth 2
Perth’s youngsters will be ecstatic – two shots, two goals – but, Macarthur, especially through Davila and Noone, have shown they have enough to think that they’ll be able to forge a point, at least out of this contest. “They have created enough chances to be in front in this game,” Paramount+ analyst Daniel McBreen concluded at the break.
38’: GOAL! Macarthur 1, Perth 2: Davila fires a penalty down the middle to get back into the game after a careless handball from Darryl Lachman after a teasing Noone delivery.
18′: GOAL! Macarthur 0, Perth 2! Happy 20th birthday Trent Ostler. Some lax Macarthur defending, but terrific ambition from the young striker, who drive into the box and rifled a finish home. What a start by Ruben Zadkovich’s side.
6′ BIG MISS: “He has to score there, there is no question!” Daniel McBreen, in co-commentary on Paramount+, cannot believe Lachie Rose wasn’t able to turn Craig Noone’s terrific cross from the right in at the back post. He skied his header over the bar.
1′ GOAL: Well, how about that! Giordano Colli with a sumptuous free-kick to get the struggling Glory off to the perfect start. Sensational from the 22-year-old midfielder, with just 44 seconds on the clock.
PRE-MATCH
Perth must create history in their brief head-to-head record with Macarthur if they are to emerge victorious at Campbelltown Sports Stadium on Sunday night.
Since Macarthur’s inaugural season, the Glory are yet to beat the Bulls, splitting two losses and two draws across four prior meetings. Perth have only managed one goal in that period.
FULL-TIME: BRISBANE ROAR 2-0 NEWCASTLE JETS
90+3′: GOAL! Ivanovic with a superb finish (2-0)
That ices the cake for the Roar.
Luke Ivanovic has found the back of the net with a curling strike off the left side of the penalty area struck into the far-right corner, leaving Duncan no chance of keeping the ball out.
83′: GOAL! Hore gives Roar deserved lead (1-0)
Brisbane have a well-deserved lead in the final 10 minutes, with Hore grabbing his fifth goal of the campaign to go equal-top on the Roar’s leading goalscorer list for the season.
Hore found the back of the net on the end of a run which began on the left side of the box, dribbling into the box and across the face of goal, faking to shoot on multiple occasions before sliding the ball past Duncan.
81′: RED CARD! Mauragis off for second yellow (0-0)
For the second time in as many games, the Jets are down to 10 men. This time it was Mauragis receiving his marching orders for a second yellow, coming in late to collect Roar defender Scott Neville.
72′: FREE-KICK! But no penalty for the hosts (0-0)
A tussle between Matthew Jurman and Cyrus Dehmie began outside the box and continued into the penalty area.
Referee Beath blew the whistle, but for a free-kick, not a penalty, with Beath interpreting the initial foul – a shirt tug – beginning outside the box.
The Roar players were adamant a penalty should have been awarded, but instead settled for the free-kick which O’Shea blasted off the wall and out for a corner.
58′: CHANCE! O’Shea strike evades top corner (0-0)
Dribbling across the edge of the 18-yard box, O’Shea let a strike off his weaker left foot rip; the shot rifled toward the top-left corner, but lacked the necessary curl to hit the target, instead floating just past the top corner.
54′: CHANCE! Daley off the post (0-0)
Jesse Daley has rattled the woodwork with a curling effort from outside the box as Brisbane look to take the lead.
His first-time strike had Duncan beaten but the ball cannoned into the right-hand goalpost.
50′: CHANCE! O’Shea off the line at Jets plea for penalty (0-0)
A Jason Hoffman strike from a narrow angle in the box looked sure to rattle the back of the net before deflecting off Roar midfielder Jay O’Shea and away for a corner.
Hoffman led a chorus of Newcastle shouts for handball on the goal line, and referee Chris Beath ventured to the pitch side monitor to review the incident, only to find a handball on Hoffman before the ball was struck toward goal.
46′: SECOND HALF UNDERWAY (0-0)
It’s another early Jets substitution, with Valentino Yuel coming off the pine in place of Siatravanis to change the fave of Newcastle’s attacking unit in the second stanza.
HALF-TIME: ROAR 0-0 JETS
The Jets survive to half-time having barely tested the Roar defence, with goalkeeper Jordan Holmes going virtually unsighted throughout the opening 45 minutes in goal for the hosts.
One positive for Newcastle, however, is that they are yet to concede; Brisbane have had plenty of the ball, but in terms of genuine chances have had just as much success as the visitors thus far.
35′: Murnane hooked by Papas early (0-0)
Lucas Mauragis is on for Dylan Murnane after just 35 minutes in the first half, as Jets boss Arthur Papas looks to change the early pattern of play with the Roar in control.
33′: Jets level drops as Brisbane get on top (0-0)
The hosts are enjoying a sustained spell of possession and are starting to create chances as the Jets sit back, not showing the same level of energy displayed through the opening 15 minutes of play.
20′: Hore fires wide (0-0)
Henry Hore looked to find the bottom right corner with a shot from distance – but failed to get enough purchase on the strike as he fell to the ground. The ball looked set to test Jets keeper Jack Duncan before fading past the post.
8′: Thurgate set free in Penha absence (0-0)
Angus Thurgate is operating in a more offensive role with key Jets creator Daniel Penha suspended for today’s clash with the Roar.
Both Thurgate and Savvas Siatravanis are set up as Newcastle’s two most attacking midfielders, holding narrow position in behind striker Beka Mikeltadze.
1′: KICK-OFF (0-0)
The teams are out in the Queensland sunshine as play gets underway at Moreton Daily Stadium.
