“Manic Macedonia Park, it was rocking on Saturday night!” Exclaimed Isuzu UTE A-League Podcast host Daniel Garb, in review of a pulsating 2-2 draw between Perth Glory and Sydney FC at the former’s temporary home.
It’s becoming somewhat of a fortress for Perth; despite Ruben Zadkovich’s Glory winning three of three games at the venue prior to Round 12, it seemed that run would come to an end on Saturday night when they trailed Sydney by two goals to nil at half-time.
But you can never discount the resilient Glory at their makeshift home, after a surging comeback which climaxed with an emphatic David Williams equaliser in the 12th minute of added time.
Garb, joined by KEEPUP’s Nick D’Urbano and James Dodd, dissected an entertaining draw in the West as part of this week’s episode of the Isuzu UTE A-League Podcast.
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Garb: “Amazing what Perth are doing at home, unbeaten at their home away from home, if you like, in the West. Sydney FC just smack you of a team (where) it doesn’t matter what standard of football you’ve played, or any sport for that matter, when you’re struggling an you get late in the game, and you’re low on confidence, you’re just trying to hang on any which way… and Glory could sense that, and Macedonia Park could sense that Sydney FC were struggling near the end.
“A great occasion in the west once more, and it’s becoming a little fortress for them Nick, Macedonia Park.”
D’Urbano: “Absolutely, and I think it’s great. I’m jealous being all the way on the other side of the country. It really reminds you of park football, NPL football, it feels like an Australia Cup fixture to an extent, where you’ve got almost a state league team filling out a venue. I reckon it’s great.
“Credit to Perth, they stuck in there, and as you mentioned: when you’re a struggling team like Sydney, you’re up by a goal, you’re on the road and the crowd is starting to get into it, they’re starting to push, the doubt seeps in. And what a header it was from David Williams as well. An absolute bullet.
“This team just keeps finding a way to get points at home… when teams come there they’re thinking of extra pressure, like: what is it going to take to beat these guys at home? The more points they get at home, the more it’s going to get them right in that mix for the top six.”
Perth’s run of home fixtures continues with another Saturday-night fixture in Round 13, with struggling Melbourne Victory travelling out West in what will be Bruno Fornaroli’s first game against his former club since his departure early in the 2022-23 campaign.
As for Sydney FC… well, they’re a team in desperate need of a win – a win which seemed likely at the halfway point of Saturday’s clash with Perth which unravelled at the death.
Dodd: “Their confidence is fragile at the moment… you saw the heads drop.
“That confidence is probably not going to return until they can put back-to-back wins together… the key for Sydney FC having watched them so often this year take a step forward and then one back, and look as though they’re about to change gears but can’t do it: Joe Lolley.
If Joe Lolley is on, he’s their key to moving up this ladder.
Because when he plays well, when he’s enjoying himself and getting a bit of change out of defenders, picking up positions and bringing other players into the game rather than necessarily doing it all himself, that’s what’s going to really help Steve Corica, because he makes such a difference to his team when he is on the football, and when he’s given license to do what Joe Lolley can do.
“If that doesn’t happen, the more Sydney FC are going to keep struggling.”
‘Zawada is shooting himself right up the power rankings’
After a slow start to his first Isuzu UTE A-League campaign, Oskar Zawada is putting together a strong case for signing of the season.
The Wellington Phoenix striker went five games without a goal in yellow and black, but his following seven appearances have produced five goals – including back-to-back match winners against Sydney and Brisbane Roar.
The ‘Nix head into Round 13 in fourth spot on the table thanks to notching successive wins for the first time this season.
D’Urbano: “It seems like they’re starting to really get things going… they’ve dropped a lot of games from winnable positions, but now back-to-back clean sheets, Oli Sail was sensational, I thought the back four was really good.
“They haven’t played at home now for a couple of weeks, so getting those two wins in Sydney and Brisbane is huge for them. Young Lucas Mauragis getting forward, getting an assist (with) a great ball for Oskar Zawada who is in great form at the moment.
You talk about some of the great signings of this off-season, Oskar Zawada is shooting himself right up the power rankings right now.
“This is a team that was without (suspended) Bozhidar Kraev, who is probably their best player, and you’re looking at two players who have been great off-season signings in Kraev and Zawada. Losing him, then having someone like Kosta Barbarouses, Yan Sasse and David Ball filling that position, they’ve got stacks of players who can really, really hurt you.
“It’s another good result for them, and the fact they’re going back home next week, coming up against Central Coast Mariners on Sunday afternoon. I tell you what, I don’t know about you guys, but that’s looking like the game of the round…. When they played each other earlier this season it was a cracker in Wellington, I really can’t wait to see what happens in part two, renewing those hostilities on Sunday.”
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