Melbourne Heart have recorded a crushing 5-1 win over Perth Glory in the Foxtel National Youth League at Epping Stadium on Saturday.
Melbourne Heart have recorded a crushing 5-1 win over Perth Glory in the Foxtel National Youth League at Epping Stadium on Saturday.
An early goal for Heart through Ersin Kaya set the tone before Hernan Espindola doubled the advantage a short time later.
Glory’s Ryan Edwards scored a screamer to get his side back into the game but goals to Alex Dao, Luke O’Dea and Espindola’s second earned Heart a comfortable win in sweltering conditions.
The Perth side had significant experience with Ryan Edwards, Adrian Zahra, Cameron Edwards, and Matthew Davies featuring after spending significant time in the A-League side earlier this season.
But Melbourne Heart were on top from the first whistle and got their first break through a fortuitous deflection after six minutes.
Sam Mitchinson’s cross deflected off defender Josh Tucker on to the crossbar and Kaya was on the spot to head into the empty net.
It was not long until Heart extended their lead with full back Jeremy Walker working his way down the right flank and superbly crossing for Espindola, who finished from point-blank range.
Perth fought to get back into the game and were rewarded in the 28th minute when Ryan Edwards curled in a spectacular goal from well-outside the area.
However, Perth’s resistance ended there as Dao calmly finished past Glory goalkeeper Luke Radonich after more clever work from Walker just before the break.
The half time period did not seem to slow down the Heart as the bounced out of the blocks and immediately put the Glory rearguard under pressure.
A defence splitting pass saw Luke O’Dea through on goal and after showing strength to hold off the defender, he cut inside and finished clinically past Radonich on 55 minutes.
Heart managed to add a fifth goal with Radonich’s palm to Espindola’s shot diverting the ball into the net in a poor moment for the goalkeeper.
The heat took its toll on both sides with Heart defending solidly to deter Ndumba Makeche on a number of occasions in the second half.
Three points for Melbourne Heart sees them move up to seventh position while Perth remain in ninth, one win clear of last-placed Central Coast Mariners.
Melbourne Heart 5 (Kaya 6′, Espindola 19′ 59′, Dao 43′, O’Dea 55′)
Perth Glory 1 (Edwards 28′)
HT: 3-1
Melbourne Heart: 1. Marco Stevanja (GK), 2. Jeremy Walker, 3. Phillip Petreski (13. Joseph Katebian 60′), 4. David Vrankovic, 5. Ross Archibald (C), 6. Alexander Dao, 7. Hernan Espindola (10. Jonathan Bounas 60′), 9. Luke O’Dea, 12. Andrew Mullett, 14. Ersin Kaya (11. Stipo Andrijasevic 60′), 15. Sam Mitchinson
Perth Glory: 1. Luke Radonich, 2. Matthew Davies, 3. Brandon O’Neill, 4. Ryan Edwards, 5. Josh Tucker (15. Alexander Castiello 59′), 6. Harry O’Brien, 8. Cameron Edwards, 9. Ndumba Makeche, 10. Adrian Zahra, 11. Borbor Sam (14. Sean Troup 45′) 17. Jacob Collard