Adam Taggart’s 22 minutes off the bench for Perth Glory were significant in more ways than one on Sunday.
Not only did the Glory star almost snatch three points during the closing stages away to Melbourne Victory in the Isuzu UTE A-League at AAMI Park, but the Socceroos forward played through the pain barrier.
A PENALTY? Victory denied spot-kick in late controversy against Glory
Taggart was nursing a groin injury, yet the 29-year-old was desperate to make an impact with his hometown club fighting to qualify for the finals.
“He is carrying a slight groin strain and he’s basically put his hand up to play with a bit of a niggle,” Glory head coach Ruben Zadkovich told Paramount+ post-match.
“For our main man up top to show that type of character and to come on and work his a*** off, even when he is hurting, there are a lot of positives there.”
Melbourne shivered through what was expected to be the coldest Easter in 80 years, while the pitch was looking worse for wear after Wednesdays’ resumed Melbourne Derby, Thursday night’s NRL game and a Super Rugby doubleheader on Saturday.
But the seventh-placed Glory dug deep to frustrate Victory and return home to Western Australia with a valuable point after the hosts were denied a 97th-minute penalty in a controversial finale.
“That was a real game of football,” Zadkovich, who lost centre-back Mark Beevers to a second yellow card during the late melee, said. “A proper old school, s****y pitch away from home against a good team and a big club.”
Zadkovich later added in his press conference, with Victory counterpart Tony Popovic sharing similar views: “It wasn’t until I walked across the pitch at the end of the game that I could see just how bad it was in some areas.”
The result left Glory within a point of Sydney FC ahead of the Round 24 blockbuster at Allianz Stadium.
In the midst of a four-match unbeaten streak, Zadkovich previewed the Sky Blues showdown.
“They’re right there with us. We’re excited for this part of the season. Our team has been building nicely and there’s a lot of hard work done by a lot of people,” he said.
“There’s been a big, big rebuild. If people knew just how big it was, it would be a different story.”
Managerial counterpart Tony Popovic was left to rue another frustrating game in attack as Victory fired a blank in their race to reach the finals.
Fernando Romero came closest to breaking the deadlock when he hit the post in the 19th minute, but Victory couldn’t find a way past the Glory.
Victory have scored the least amount of goals (26) across the competition this season.
“We can’t complain about the performance, it was a very dominant display which was very pleasing after our third game in a week,” head coach Popovic told Paramount+.
“Unfortunately for us we miss that decisive last action, the final ball, shot, decision making.”
On the team’s goalscoring woes, Popovic added: “There is no ready-make fix to that problem. We have to keep working and getting ourselves in those areas.
We need the players to take more responsibility and have more confidence in that final action.”
REPORT – AAP
Melbourne Victory’s hopes of an unlikely push for an A-League Men finals berth WERE dealt a heavy blow after late controversy tinged a frustrating 0-0 draw with Perth Glory at AAMI Park.
With what would be Victory’s final attack, Lleyton Brooks was upended by defender Jordan Elsey as they two competed to collect a blocked cross in the 97th minute on Sunday.
Tensions bubbled over as Victory swarmed appealed for a spot-kick and Glory’s Mark Beevers received his second yellow card of the game after the ensuing shoving match.
It capped off a frustrating day for Victory, who had repeatedly crashed against an embedded Glory defence without success.
Despite being placed under siege throughout the contest, Glory had two late chances to steal the game through headed opportunities to Luke Bodnar and Adam Taggart.
Fernando Romero came closest for the hosts when he hit the post with a half-volleyed effort in the 19th minute.
Both sides, though, struggled to play on a worn playing surface
AAMI Park played host to ALM and NRL matches mid-week and a Super Rugby doubleheader the day before and Sunday’s contest will be followed by an ALM clash between Melbourne City and Wellington on Monday.
Victory’s gap to sixth-placed Sydney FC stands at four points with three games remaining, while Glory sits a point adrift of the Sky Blues ahead of their clash next week.
They will sweat on the fitness of Jacob Muir for that contest, however, after he was forced off after 34 minutes.
