Perth Glory’s finals hopes have been officially ended with a 1-1 draw against 10-man Sydney FC at HBF Park, after the hosts were unable to add to Kaelan Majekodunmi’s equaliser despite pounding on the Sky Blue door.
After Joe Lolley put them ahead from the spot at HBF Park on Wednesday evening, Jake Girdwood-Reich’s 34th-minute red card forced Sydney to withstand a siege on their goal for almost an hour.
Though Adam Taggart did everything but score in his desperate attempts to find an equaliser, Majekodunmi’s 72nd-minute header from a Riley Warland free kick was the only time the hosts broke through.
“We created so many half chances and shots on goal and unfortunately they didn’t go in,” Glory boss Alen Stajcic told Paramount.
“You felt like if we’ve got one more, we’d have got a couple.”
Sydney moved into fourth with their point but Glory’s finals hopes are now officially extinguished, 12 points back of sixth-placed Western Sydney with four games to play, but with five fewer wins.
“Disappointed that we conceded from a set piece,” Sydney coach Ufuk Talay said.
“Overall we had 10 men for maybe over an hour through the game, we’re still satisfied with the one point”
Finishing the game with 13 shots, Taggart should have had his side ahead after 10 minutes, only for Bruce Kamau’s attempted cross for the Socceroo to land just a half-yard behind his stride.
Sydney took advantage of their reprieve and created a series of chances before eventually landing a telling blow in the 25th minute when Kamau brought down Jordan Courtney-Perkins in the box following some slick interplay, with Lolley making no mistake.
But the game soon turned on its head just when Girdwood-Reich dragged Taggart down as the two pursued a long ball over the top.
Referee Alex King initially awarded the young defender a yellow card but upgraded that to a straight red card for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity after consulting the VAR.
Glory pressed hard to capitalise on their one-player advantage and thought they had a penalty themselves in the 54th when substitute Jarrod Carluccio was brought down by Rhyan Grant, only for King to stick with his initial decision to wave the shout away despite VAR intervention.
A tide of chances flowed as the hosts pushed an exhausted Sydney but it was 20-year-old Majekodunmi who ultimately found the net, restoring parity when he soared over Courtney-Perkins.
chris1
Roar Rookie
The last people you'd want on a football field are Rugby teams. They'll churn up that ground quicker than a tractor sowing the ground.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Thats the point I was arguing, no one has ever scored without the ball, so no ball no opportunity.
Grem
Roar Rookie
They still have to pay the rent. Newcastle don’t get McDonald Jobes stadium for a discount!
Garry
Roar Rookie
theyre going there because theyre broke..
338
Roar Rookie
Nahhh i reckon the ref was scared after having sent off GR that he couldn’t also be giving a penalty to Perth!! First time in ages I’ve seen a ref back their original decision after being pulled up by VAR.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Charge them a $hit load for rent!
Waz
Roar Rookie
Yeah, DOGSO is really all about that last “O”, if a player is denied the opportunity - in particular by a professional foul - then it’s a red card. Whether Taggart would or wouldn’t have scored is irrelevant to this debate, he was denied the opportunity
Harry Brill
Roar Rookie
Result and red card aside, Sydney FC are playing some decent football. Perth would be frustrated to settle for a point.
Garry
Roar Rookie
“A private equity-backed consortium led by former Qantas chairman Leigh Clifford says it’s close to raising $30 million to invest into the struggling Rebels. …..But now there are plans to relocate the club to Melbourne’s western suburbs where a 15,000-seat stadium is being built in Tarneit for A-League side Western United.;;; in other news “Australia U-23 Women’s team to participate in Four Nations Tournament in Sweden” “
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Taggart was running away from the path of the ball and slowing down, Girdwood Reich was following Taggart and didnt slow down . So unless Taggart scorpion kicks it with his back leg , I cant see how he could have managed to stop and turn in time in order to get it, and even if he could he could have then had to be going backwards instead of being through on goal. The only scenario I can see Girdwood Reich being sent off for is based on a succesfull scorpion kick.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
that was a different era Grem, days past, I agree, no favouritism these days.
Garry
Roar Rookie
a dive
chris1
Roar Rookie
I also thought the ball was behind him but then I thought maybe it's behind him because he was delayed in his run by the foul. We won't really know. I still think it was a red.
338
Roar Rookie
Agree Perth let that one get away, Redmayne stood tall for Sydney. Thought the ref would have given the penalty to Perth. There was contact and it didn’t look to me to be a dive, he was stepping off that foot when he cut inside. Anyway Perth had plenty of other chances to win it and Sydney kept them honest with a few chances after the send off too. An entertaining game to watch.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
McBreen is so dodgy, Taggart had a huge miss early , and he blames the delivery. The red card they showed the replay a million times, and he kept saying Taggart would have chested that ball, but it was blatantly obvious the ball was behind Taggart, maybe he could have scorpion kicked it with his back leg. Girdwood Reich must have lost track of the ball because it was going directly to him and he was following Taggart. Funny how they sort of turned on Taggart finally after a dozen misses and selfish behaviour after making excuses. The so called Perth penalty the commentators were saying it was exactly the same according to them as Kamau penalty. The thing about the Kamau foul it was minimum a yellow and possibly a red it was studs up onto the ankle but Kamau didnt even get a yellow. Carluccio after about 10 looks the commentator finally admits its not exactly the same, McBreen his trademark is saying players have milked every foul in the game as well.
Grem
Roar Rookie
The red card was deserved. However, the talk of Sydney’s favouritism by refs and VAR is a joke. In the end a great draw from a team who seem to play OK with 10 men, though they were a bit fortunate with Perth’s missed chances.