In damp conditions at nib Stadium a late Vince Lia goal proved the difference between Perth Glory and Wellington Phoenix, as the visitors came away with a win in the Long Distance Derby.
Gyorgy Sandor opened the scoring early for Perth, only for Rory Krishna to immediately equalize at the other end. An even encounter looked to be heading to a draw, only for Lia to pop up with two minutes remaining to all three points for Wellington.
Perth Glory
Ante Covic – 7: Was well beaten by Krishna’s strike and did not have a sight of Lia’s looping winner. Apart from that, turned out a decent performance.
Josh Risdon – 7: His usual self. Defensively, kept Fenton and later Sarpong quiet, while also looked dangerous going forward. Not as effective in the second-half as he perhaps would have liked.
Dino Djulbic – 7: Had to be aware all game long to rein in the lively Krishna. Could not do anything about either of the goals.
Michael Thwaite – 7: Was unable to prevent Krishna from opening the scoring, but otherwise strong at the heart of defence.
Anthony Golec – 6: Had little to do in the first-half as the ball was usually on the other side of the pitch. Got more involved in the latter stages, but horribly undersold Richie Garcia late, leading to his skipper’s dismissal.
Chris Harold – 6: Showed some attacking initiative and tried to test Manny Muscat, but was unable to provide a cutting edge out wide.
Mitch Oxborrow – 7: Quality on the ball and his distribution was fantastic. But he had a hard time dealing with Bonevacia defensively, and could improve his composure. Still, a strong outing from the youngster.
Gyorgy Sandor – 6: Scored the opener and looked comfortable in possession, but his influence waned in the second-half where he was less noticeable.
Richard Garcia – 6: Struggled to work his way into the game, but made his passes count when he did. Unfortunately sent-off for a second bookable offence late in the game.
Guyon Fernandez – 5: Struggled to get involved in the game, and did not look to be on the same wavelength as his teammates. His withdrawal was met with cheers by the crowd.
Castro – 7: Showed flashes of skill and improved on last week’s outing. Looked threatening in the second-half, and proved to be a tricky customer in tight spaces.
Substitutes
Sidnei – 6: Got on the ball, but failed to really prove a threat.
Hagi Gligor – 5: Little chance to make an impact on debut.
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