Perth Glory enjoyed a 2-1 win over Melbourne at ME Bank Stadium on Friday night despite the Victory dominating for significant periods of the A-League match.
The Glory scored the opening goal in the fifth minute through Branko Jelic, but immediately after the Victory took control and Archie Thompson scored in the ninth.
Melbourne controlled the rest of the half, but Perth came out rejuvenated after the break and got a second through Jelic in the 54th minute and it was enough for the impressive win.
Jelic scored his first two goals in the A-League after arriving from German club Energie Cottbus in the off-season.
The 32-year-old had a solid career prior to that in Yugoslavia, Serbia and Montenegro and China, but now is a favourite of Perth fans who have enjoyed two wins in as many games at home.
Perth lost their first two on the road to Adelaide and Wellington while Melbourne have just one win from four games.
The Glory made the perfect start when Jelic was able to finish off a mad scramble in the box from a free-kick.
Immediately after the goal, Melbourne got in behind the Perth defence three times before Thompson got the goal in the ninth minute. Danny Allsopp set him up nicely into the box, Thompson had one shot blocked by Naum Sekulovski but then was able to follow it up to score.
Despite Melbourne’s dominance, it was Perth that broke the deadlock in the 54th minute when Mile Sterjovski headed onto Jelic, who was able to beat Victory ‘keeper Glen Moss.
The Victory didn’t seriously threaten for an equaliser, Allsopp having the best chance but his shot going wide.
Sterjovski was forced from the field with a lower leg injury but Perth fans again came to life when popular Brazilian midfielder Amaral made his first appearance of the season and the Glory held on to win.
Glory coach Dave Mitchell was pleased to overcome the slow first half and control most of the second to claim the win.
“We are strong at home and it’s great that the champions came and we defeated them even though it was a game of two halves,” Mitchell said.
“For us it’s good to get another win to build on last week.”
Melbourne coach Ernie Merrick was happy with the chances his three strikers and two attacking midfielders created, but disappointed to not get a point.
“It was a good game of football, we should have got more out of it and at least a draw,” Merrick said.
“I’m not going to go away too disappointed but we have to start getting points on the board and to win games.”
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
Just four teams remain in the hunt for the 2023/24 A-League Championship and the action will be intense in the opening legs of the…
Cameron Burgess scored the winner to confirm Ipswich’s status as a Premier League club.
In a statement weekend, Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory made significant ones in advancing to the final four of the A-League finals. Now, most…
Paul Izzo has inspired Melbourne Victory to one of the greatest-ever A-League Men escapes as they rose from the ashes to beat Melbourne City…
Joe Lolley was outstanding for the Sky Blues, scoring a brace as Sydney FC equaled their biggest ever victory.
Here is the way the Roar expert panel sees all the action unfolding across the final weekend of play prior to the semi-finals.
