A hat-trick from Mitchell Mallia has helped Sydney FC to a 5-2 away victory over Perth Glory at 6PR Stadium on Sunday morning.
A hat-trick from Mitchell Mallia has helped Sydney FC to a 5-2 away victory over Perth Glory at 6PR Stadium on Sunday morning.
Mallia scored twice as Sydney ran out to a 4-0 lead early in the second half, with Joel Chianese (pictured above) and Dimitri Petratos scoring the others.
Glory pulled one back through Alex Caniglia with 14 minutes remaining and threatened to add several more as they dominated the latter stages.
But Mallia was on hand to complete his hat-trick with five minutes left, rounding off an impressive performance from the visitors.
Heading into the game on an unbeaten run, Perth started in an attacking frame of mind as midfielder Tommy Amphlett scuffed a shot wide from a good position in the seventh minute.
Fresh from playing a starring cameo role for the Glory seniors the night before, former Qantas Socceroo Mile Sterjovski was added to the National Youth League roster for this match in a bid to give him a full 90 minutes over the weekend and he immediately made his presence felt, forcing Sydney goalkeeper Ryan Norval into an 11th-minute save.
Mallia, though, fired a warning shot for Sydney in the 15th minute, one that was saved by Glory stopper Lewis Italiano, before the keeper saw a bouncing effort from Joe Gibbs bobble off the ground wickedly, into his face.
Sydney soon took control of the contest, however, opening the scoring through Mallia in the 29th minute.
A poor pass in defence gave the striker a sniff as Mallia rounded the keeper and drove an angled shot into the back of the net.
Perth responded through a low header from Alec Jovic that went straight at Norval, before the Sky Blues extended the advantage six minutes before half-time.
Once again a Glory defensive error allowed Sydney to pounce as Brandon O’Neill’s headed clearance simply ricocheted into the air, allowing an unmarked Chianese to nod home from four metres.
And matters just got worse for Perth three minutes later as Mallia produced a barnstorming run down the right before cutting inside and unleashing a 20-metre rocket into the back of the net.
Perth opened the second half looking for a way back into the contest, but only found themselves four behind after 51 minutes.
The irrepressible Mallia burst down the right before sending in another cross that Storm Roux appeared all-but certain to clear. But when Roux fresh-aired his kick as he slipped to the ground, Petratos was on hand to slam the ball home.
The fourth goal sparked a good period from the hosts as Ndumba Makeche threatened with every attacking move.
The striker saw a 63rd-minute effort cleared off the line by Tomislav Mijic before he hit the crossbar with a powerful attempt five minutes later.
In the 76th minute, Glory pulled one back as substitute Caniglia drove a curling shot home before Perth were denied a second five minutes later as Makeche’s goalbound header was once again cleared off the line.
However Sydney responded with five minutes remaining as Mallia was on hand to bury his third following a goalmouth scramble.
Byron Hudson drove in a consolation second goal for the Glory during added time, as he fired in the rebound after Makeche saw another shot saved, but it was too little too late for the hosts.
Perth Glory 2 (Caniglia 76, Hudson 90)
Sydney FC 5 (Mallia 29, 42, 85, Chianese 39, Petratos 51)
