Perth Glory’s defensive inadequacies have been brutally exposed by Queensland in a 3-0 win for the Roar at Members Equity Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
On a dark day for Perth, the Roar produced some exhilarating counter-attacking football during the first half, scoring three goals through skipper Craig Moore, forward Matt McKay and former-Celtic player Charlie Miller on the stroke of half-time.
And, although the Glory managed to hold Queensland at bay during the second half, the afternoon got worse for coach Dave Mitchell when instrumental Brazilian playmaker Amaral was stretchered from the field with a hamstring injury, leaving the club with just 10 men for the last 17 minutes as the club had used all three substitutions to that point.
For the Roar, veteran trio Moore, Danny Tiatto and Miller produced impressive performances, distributing the ball with ease and closing down Perth’s attacks as the Roar climbs into fifth position on the Hyundai A-League standings, leaving the Glory propping up the table.
Queensland coach Frank Farina, though, described it as one of those days when the pieces fell into place.
“Unfortunately, Perth got us on a very good day today and we did finish off and maintained the momentum for 90 minutes,” Farina said.
“(And) it’s always good to get the first win under the belt, particularly here in Perth, which is also difficult to come (too).”
Mitchell added that he felt the opening goal changed the complexion of the encounter, allowing Queensland to grow in belief.
“I think in the first 20 minutes we looked very good and then it was just a free kick, just got in behind us and we all switched off and that’s soul destroying and it took the wind out of our sails,” Mitchell said.
The Glory did indeed begin with confidence, dominating the opening stages while maintaining possession and creating several half-chances after earning two corners within the opening minute.
But all the hosts’ good work was undone in the 14th minute as the club’s defensive frailties were shown up once more through Queensland skipper Moore.
Amaral conceded a free kick twenty metres out on the left and when Queensland took it quickly, Perth’s unprepared defence was at sixes and sevens as the Roar worked the ball in behind the back four with McKay’s cross breaking to Moore, who buried a low shot through a crowded penalty area.
Nine minutes later the Glory were unlucky not to receive a penalty when Perth skipper Jamie Coyne pushed the ball forward to Dadi in the area. The striker appeared to have been bundled over in the box by Moore but was not given a spot kick and the Roar took full advantage of the let-off.
The visitors broke rapidly, exposing the Glory’s defence as Sergio van Dijk found McKay twenty metres out, the midfielder shrugging off his marker and burying another low finish.
Two minutes later, Petkovic did brilliantly to deny a cracking effort from Hyuk-su Seo, the veteran stopper diving to his left to palm the ball around the post before Trinidad almost pulled one back through an audacious overhead attempt that was about as good as it got for the hosts for the remainder of the half.
And, on the stroke of half-time it just got worse for the Glory as Miller extended the advantage even further. After a promising build-up by Perth, the Roar produced another lethal counter-attack during injury time as Reinaldo burned off Coyne before crossing to an unmarked Miller, whose run through the middle wasn’t checked, with the former Celtic man making it 3-0 at the change.
Six minutes after the re-start, the Glory almost pulled one back after Scott Bullock’s lofted cross towards Nikolai Topor-Stanley at the far post was cleared by Seo.
But the hosts had another left off just before the hour when van Dijk close-range effort struck the crossbar after a good interchange of passes between Miller and Murdocca.
And, when Amaral went down with a hamstring injury in the 73rd minute after taking possession on his own, the Glory were forced to hold on until the death with just 10 men.
Hyundai A-League
Perth Glory 0
Queensland Roar 3 (Moore 14, McKay 23, Miller 45)
Crowd: 8303 at Perth’s Members Equity Stadium
