Macarthur captain Ulises Davila has inspired the Bulls to a 4-2 A-League Men’s comeback win over last-placed Perth Glory.
The Mexican scored a penalty, won another spot kick for Craig Noone to convert and then set up Al Hassan Toure as the Bulls overcame a two-goal deficit and being a man down to end a three-game winless run.
Toure turned provider for fellow substitute Moudi Najjar in the sixth minute of stoppage time to complete the comeback with Macarthur’s fourth goal.
Giordano Colli’s opener inside the first minute and Trent Ostler’s first ALM goal had put the Glory two goals up inside 20 minutes but Macarthur’s fightback means Perth are without a win in ten games.
The Bulls’ win, which lifts them to third on the ladder, came despite Charles M’Mombwa being sent off for a second yellow card offence midway through the second half.
“We’re so fortunate to have a player of his calibre at the football club and I’m so proud to have him as our captain,” Bulls coach Ante Milicic said of Davila.
“He leads on and off the field but tonight he showed his quality. He stepped up.
“When a team’s going through a bit of adversity and then when you’re down, that’s when you see if you’re a real player who wants the ball… when things weren’t going for us he said that he’s going to make a difference and he did that.”
Colli’s free-kick after 44 seconds – the fastest goal in the ALM this season – gave last-placed Glory the perfect start.
Things got even better for the visitors in the 18th minute when Ostler, celebrating his 20th birthday with his first ALM start, fired home from close range to make it 2-0 to the Glory.
It took a slice of fortune for Macarthur to get on the scoreboard despite their dominance.
Defender Darryl Lachman was caught out when Davila missed a header inside the box, unable to react as the ball struck his arm.
Referee Jonathan Barreiro checked a replay on the pitchside monitor and awarded the penalty which Davila converted.
(Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Macarthur were awarded another penalty when Davila’s shot was blocked by Jonathan Aspropotamitis’s arm ten minutes into the second half, which Noone scored despite Liam Reddy getting his fingertips to the ball.
Just when the hosts started to feel they could push on for a winner, the game turned again when M’Mombwa was given his second yellow card after encroaching to block another Colli free-kick in the 66th minute.
Encouraged, Perth threw everything at the game with substitutes Callum Timmins and Ciaran Bramwell both missing great opportunities late in the second half.
The Glory were punished for those missed chances in the 82nd minute when Davila’s defence-splitting pass found substitute Toure who fired home to put the Bulls ahead.
The win was sealed in the 96th minute when Toure linked with Najjar to complete a swift counter-attack and put the icing on the cake for the Bulls.
“I’m really proud of their effort,” Glory interim coach Ruben Zadkovich said.
“I’m proud of the way they went about their business but more obviously, a bit disappointed not to get something out of that game because I think we did enough to take something.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
The Colli free kick was from 30 meters not 20 and its jogging not joffing . One key off twice.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
This was yet another incredibly bizzare and interesting game that makes the A-league to me the most interesting league to watch in the world. Usually Macarthur are the team which does the weirdest things but for my money Zadkovich has topped everyone for the weirdest formation. His 2-2-2-4 with 8 players in the center of the park I have never seen anything like this before . 4 layer formation with players lined up with the center backs. The way it worked is the 8 players would start in the center draw the defense there and after failing to spot a pass in the congested center then they pass it wide to the fullbacks and then someone in the center would make a run towards the side line to receive the ball. What was behind all of this I have no clue. In defence it was even dumber they would adopt the same formation and leave the wide Macarthur player free to receive the ball and go forward, and usually the 2 dm's would have to run all the way from the center to meet them. The logic of it escapes me you make players run from the center to cover the wings while the fullbacks stayed tucked in. Every dog has its day and can suddenly score goals, in this case Perth got a wonderful start with a free kick by Colli from 20 meters and a move by a promising striker Ostler who has a great set of feet. Promising player. Perth got an early lead, and they did have some possesion in the first half though they didnt create many chances. Macarthur as time wore on dominated more and more but they had their own finishing problems. They created a lot of chances but missed them, Holman usually the culprit. Luckily for them the ever changing hand ball rule came to their rescue. The two hand balls the commentators who seem to sing a different tune every time. The first one the arm was at about a 20 degree angle to the body yet somehow this is now away from the body. The second one it clearly hit on the upper arm, the upper arm was on a lesser angle than the lower arm and of course it close to the body. Then the big moment came for Mwoomba, after one of Perths few attacking forays. For some reason he decided to charge out at the free kick. The faces of his teammates then went a shade of white when he got sent off. Mwoomba looked shocked then came the realisation in the tunnel and he absolute went mental bashing the wall. Macarthur then became a lot more desperate, the team against CCM recently you were wondering whether they be walking or joffing back. Perth took off Aspro went to another weird formation almost 9-1 at the end. Bramwell missed two opportunities but there seemed to be a lot of confusion over what they were doing. Then Vecchio started taking players on wide in the 9-1 formation. Macarthur then last throw of the dice and get the winner on a brake away. To me the standout teams to watch in the A-league are now the following. 1. Macarthur Mysteries. 2. Perth under Zadkovich 3. Ange wannabee Papas Newcastle special mentions to WSW walkathon and Western United walkabout.