Final thoughts
Thanks everyone for joining me tonight. The game brightened once we got that first goal, and the second half was great entertainment. Kenny Lowe’s decision in keeping two attacking options in Castro and Fernandez on the bench proved to be a masterstroke. They came on fresh, just as Adelaide were pressing for an equaliser and converted two goals that more or less killed the game. Is this the start of the Glory’s resurgence? They’ve shown in the Cup that they’re not bereft of form, but this is still victory numero uno for the season. Better signs however after last week. For Adelaide, well I’m sure they’ll be scratching their heads a bit. Craig Goodwin mentioned the need for a more clinical approach to the final third, and that may be it, but it wasn’t a lack of finishing that was costing them, rather a lack of real opportunity. Food for thought for next week. But not the easiest problem to solve.
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FULL-TIME! Perth Glory 3-1 Adelaide United
And that’s it here at nib Stadium. Adelaide came to play but lacked the flair and precision needed in the final-third to get on the scoresheet. The only goal they did score came via Perth’s Diego Ferreira through pure misfortune after a harsh deflection. Perth meanwhile pick up their first win of the season after an emphatic performance in defence. When they pushed forward they did so quickly and effectively, making the most of the chances they were offered.
90mins: Not 10, but four minutes for Adelaide to break this Glory defence. I can’t see Ante Covic being troubled. The Perth shot-stopper hasn’t had to do much all game. Lots of possession. Lots of neat movement. Few shots, even fewer on target.
88mins: Adelaide need a miracle at this point. 10 minutes of stoppage time? It’d help. But I think not.
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79mins: Well, that really should have been a fourth for the Glory, and a brace for Castro. Less than eight yards out, and though he had to take it awkwardly it should’ve at least been on target. Instead it narrowly goes wide, and Adelaide remain with the faintest of hopes still alive. Just over 10 minutes to go.
GOAL! Diego Ferreira OG, 75min, Perth Glory 3-1 Adelaide United
There goes the clean sheet for the Glory. An awful deflection from a dangerous cross from Adelaide ends in the back of the Perth net, and, dare I say it, there’s life in this game yet?
GOAL! Diego Castro 73min, Perth Glory 3-0 Adelaide United
Same, same. Richard Garcia again on the left flank breaks as Perth counter a change in possession in the midfield, considers going himself, before sliding a lovely ball in front of goal which Diego Castro, fresh off the bench picks up and puts in the back of the net. Easy as you like. Can’t help but feel for Adelaide. Perth have been impenetrable, leaving United to throw bodies forward to try and break ‘em. Instead they’ve conceded two more, and it’s 3-0.
66min: Goodwin earns another corner for Adelaide United as the Reds change to a back-three. It’s beginning to feel desperate the way they’re throwing bodies forward, all the whole Perth as dangerous as ever on the counter.
GOAL! Guyon Fernandez, 60min, Perth Glory 2-0 Adelaide United
A lovely ball from Richie Garcia that comes at pace from the left wing arrives at the feet of Fernandez who takes it brilliantly to slot home and put his side two-goals clear. Again it’s from a counter-attack that the Glory strike, and United will be kicking themselves that the pressure they’ve building over the last ten minutes has ended in a goal at the other end of the field.
59mins: It’s been a hard-fought first hour from both sides. Plenty of discipline, composure under pressure from the Glory to keep United out.
55min: Craig Goodwin beats his man on Perth’s right side, and fires a stinging shot across goal that keep Ante Covic honest. Adelaide putting more and more pressure on the Glory.
49min: The Glory concede a corner after their first bit of fluid attacking play in Perth’s half creates issues for Perth. Malik gets up to contest the corner, but can’t direct it on-goal. Still, better signs from Adelaide. More urgency, and a higher tempo around the Perth flanks.
SECOND-HALF
Just grabbed myself a quick cup of joe to keep things ticking over here at Guardian HQ. Again, it looks as if Kenny Lowe has instructed his charges to sit deep and play for the counter with Adelaide playing very high. There’s a lot of pace among the Glory attack, and Adelaide need to be wary their push for a goal doesn’t cost them. The Glory will start the half with a change too, with Guyon Fernandez coming on in place of Chris Harold.
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HALF-TIME, Perth Glory 1-0 Adelaide United
There’s the whistle. Perth go in a goal up after that late goal from Sciola. United have had boatloads of possession but it’s counted for nought. Glory goalkeeper Ante Covic hasn’t had to make a save.
45mins: Two minutes of extra-time have been added on, but both teams look more than content to see the clock tick out. Adelaide are lacking a clear tactical vision in pressing forward, and they’ll be savouring a chance to rethink what they’re doing at half-time.
GOAL! Sidnei Sciola, Perth Glory 1-0 Adelaide United
After soaking up the pressure for the best part of 20 minutes, an Adelaide mistake, followed by a thread-the-needle through ball from Hagi Gligor gave Sciola all the space in the world to line up a cool finish into the bottom corner. I’m not surprised, even if Michael Cockerill reckons it’s against the run of play. Adelaide have created very little for their efforts, all the while Perth have been frustrating the Reds into more and more mistakes. It doesn’t take much.
35min: Sandor with a touch in the 18-yard box after a silky set of passes from the Glory, but a poor touch lets him down. Go so far as to say it was the first real goal-scoring opportunity of the match. The Glory are pressing more up the field however, which is a good sign.
30min: Finally it appears the Glory have been given a bit of leash by Kenny Lowe to push forward. The fullbacks are pushing up the flanks which is allowing the Glory to play with the ball in Adelaide’s half. Still nothing quite clicking, but the game’s tempo has certainly risen. Thankfully!
22min: Yellow Card! Diego Ferreira (Perth Glory)
The Perth midfielder comes in with sloppy challenge on Marcelo Carrusca showing his studs, and is quickly awarded a yellow. Carrusca stays down momentarily, and looks like he’s trying to walk-off the pain from the impact. It wasn’t too bad. A bit of theatre, perhaps, from Carrusca.
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19mins: Adelaide’s back four just racking up their season passing percentage stats. Very little pressure from the Glory on the back four of Adelaide. Very defensive play from the Glory, but they’re denying the Reds even the faintest of sniffs from creating something close to a chance.
15min: Perth’s patience in defence has finally seen them put together a dangerous counter-attack. Adelaide’s Malik tracked back enough as Perth broke to pressure the pace of the counter, but it required an alert John Hall coming off his line to clean things up.
10mins: It’s been all Adelaide in this opening 10 minutes in terms of possession. But they’ve produced very little to show they’ll be able to break down this rigid Perth defence.
KICK-OFF
And we’re underway. Immediate reflections on the shape of both teams. Perth content to sit deeper than the Reds, we’ll see if that changes as the match wears. Adelaide meanwhile are being given plenty of time on the ball.
Anyway, I digress. We’re live at nib stadium and the players are coming out now greeted by an underwhelming reception. Hard to blame the Perth supporters for the muted enthusiasm to their team after the shambles of last season. And while they’ve made the final of the FFA Cup, they’re yet to show their mettle in the A-League. Let’s hope for the Perth faithful they kick into gear tonight.
And in the spirit of shameless cross-promotion, I wonder how many of you will be tuning in for the Wallabies-Pumas match tomorrow morning (AEDT)? The time difference is horrific, but I’ve been thoroughly enjoying following this year’s Rugby World Cup. We’ll be covering the game with a minute-by-minute live blog, and of course there’s the broadcast on Channel 9 at the ungodly hour of 2AM. Yes, there exists a 2AM.
Meanwhile, the Reds will turn out as such:
Here’s how #AUFC are lining up for today's clash against @PerthGloryFC. #PERvADL pic.twitter.com/9X95ofSENw
— Adelaide United FC (@AdelaideUnited) October 25, 2015
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The home side is close to full strength, with only Ruben Zadkovich unavailable through injury. There are some interesting, shall we say, tactical omissions with Fernandez on the bench. Formation will be a 4-5-1, and notionally a 4-3-3 I imagine if they push forward.
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Preamble
With Melbourne City looking likely to collect their first win of the season against the Mariners, the ignominious honour of having yet to taste victory yet this season is left with just three teams, Western Sydney, who were perhaps slightly unlucky to go down last night, Adelaide and Perth. The latter two meet tonight at nib stadium in Perth, and will both be hopeful they can get themselves off the mark.
Our man Alex Hinds will be with you shortly but in the meantime, why not catch up with last night’s nail-biting finish to the Sydney derby. Our esteemed Australian editor himself Mike Hytner was down at the game for all the action.
“The game screamed out for a player capable of keeping his cool in the final third, someone with the ability to unpick defences in tense affairs like this with a killer pass, touch or a set-piece. Until Ninkovic delivered, no one had given evidence of it on the pitch.”
More here.
