Adelaide United have recorded their first win of the A-League Men’s season with an entertaining 2-1 victory over Perth Glory at Coopers Stadium.
All three goals came in the first half with both sides carving out numerous half chances throughout the match, with the final pass lacking the polish required to add to the scoresheet.
Reds coach Carl Veart admitted it was a hard-fought encounter but felt his side should have killed off the contest.
“We didn’t make the most of the opportunities that we created. We had enough opportunities there to score three of four goals,” he said.
“It’s something that we’re working on in training, but it’s something that we need to start implementing in games.”
The visitors started the better of the two sides in Sunday’s match, but Adelaide weathered the early Perth storm and broke the deadlock on 18 minutes.
Ben Halloran found himself in possession inside Perth’s penalty area and after his initial pass was blocked he slipped the ball through to Craig Goodwin.
The ball sat up nicely for the Reds skipper, who picked out the bottom corner with a sweet half-volley on the turn.
United doubled their lead four minutes later with Goodwin again involved. The winger whipped in a free kick from wide out on the right flank and found Ben Warland deep at the back post.
The centre back lunged and managed to square the ball across the face of goal for Hiroshi Ibusuki to tap in to an unguarded net with the easiest of finishes.
Perth pulled a goal back on 33 minutes courtesy of a stunner from Giordano Colli.
The young midfielder collected the ball in his attacking half and drove at the Reds’ defence, who sat back and allowed plenty of space.
Colli then unleashed from 25 metres out with the shot swerving and dipping, completely wrong-footing Reds’ keeper Joe Gauci who was rooted to the spot.
The Glory almost managed an equaliser on the stroke of halftime, with Colli nearly finding a way past Gauci a second time.
His free kick from just outside the area took a wicked deflection off the wall and bounced just wide of the upright with Gauci committed.
Adelaide looked the more likely after the interval, with Goodwin and Harry Van Der Saag busy out wide for the hosts.
Just before the hour, Goodwin was released by Isaias and darted into the Glory area but his cut back evaded everyone.
Minutes later it was Perth looking dangerous as Ryan Williams burst past Ryan Kitto and lofted a cross towards the penalty spot which was headed over the bar by Ben Azubel.
United continued to find joy down their left and fluffed two glorious chances in quick succession.
First, Kitto supplied a perfect cut back for Goodwin, who blasted over from close range, before the pair combined again, with Kitto put through for a one-on-one only for Perth shot-stopper Liam Reddy to keep the effort out.
“Today, I just don’t think we executed well,” Glory coach Reuben Zadkovich said.
“We were just a bit sloppy and to be honest in the warm-up you could see.”