A-League Men: Perth Glory’s wastefulness in front of goal costs them in 2-0 loss to Melbourne Victory

Perth Glory have been left to rue wastefulness in front of goal as a quickfire double doomed them to a 2-0 loss against Melbourne Victory at HBF Park. Despite a littany of chances presenting themselves to Glory early in the second-half, their inability to capitalise cost them dear as two goals in quick succession to Nishan Velupillay and Clerismario Santos sealed the win for Victory. While Perth’s performances have improved over the past six weeks, their lack of results tells a sorry tale and they will end this weekend second from bottom with just nine points and a pitiful 11 goals from 16 games. And although they were not outplayed in the first-half, it was only Oli Sail’s goalkeeping which kept them in the match and ensured the two sides went into half-time level. Victory showed in fits and starts the chasm between them and the Glory on the quality front, yet it will be the 10-minute period after the restart, when Perth had four good chances to go 1-0 up, which will keep coach David Zdrilic up at night. The first half was book-ended by two sleepy passages of play and separated by an action-packed 13-minute spell where chances came thick and fast. Jordi Valadon and Nishan Velupillay both thrashed attempts goalwards for the visitors, the former of which whistled over the bar, while the latter was punched away by Sail as Victory began to loom ominous after the quarter-hour mark. Glory skipper Adam Taggart then turned Brendan Hamill and showed him a clean pair of heels, but his powerful strike bounced off Mitch Langerak’s chest. Sail then continued to keep Perth in the game as he produced an excellent one-handed save to push Nikolaos Vergos’ goalbound header over, before he pushed away Zinedine Machach’s effort. Despite Melbourne enjoying the more clear-cut chances, the half fizzled out as they were unable to really turn the screws on Perth and snare a half-time lead, while some bright Perth passages gave way to some aimless long balls. Patrick Wood almost opened his account for the Glory on the stroke of half-time when he backheeled Taggart’s low cross on target, but it was straight at Langerak. Where the first-half started slowly, the second half-began at a breakneck pace, and it was one-way traffic towards The Shed as Perth had several gilt-edged chances to take the lead. Hamill twice saved the day for the visitors as he cleared Taggart’s attempt off the line with Langerak beaten and then blocked Nicholas Pennington’s effort soon after. But the Glory were their own worst enemies as Wood fired into the side-netting with the goal at his mercy and Taggart in position for an easy tap-in, before Pennington stabbed well-wide from close range. And Perth’s profligacy was punished in the 61st minute when Ryan Teague picked out a free Machach, and while his low shot was saved, Velupillay was on hand to tuck home the rebound. Four minutes late and it was 2-0 when a cutting Victory counter-attack ended in Vergos’ chipped cross dispatched into the net by Santos. Perhaps the difference in the two sides’ squads was best illustrated by Melbourne, already nursing a two-goal lead, bringing on Daniel Arzani and Bruno Fornaroli to see out the game. It could have been 3-0 when Tomi Mrcela’s attempted clearance almost dribbled into his own net, but the post came to his rescue. The pace of Joel Anasmo off the bench offered the Glory an avenue back into the game, but as the game became stretched, Perth’s energy levels dropped and the likelihood of them finding one goal, let alone two, seemed far-flung. There will be plenty for Zdrilic to ponder when Perth return to HBF Park on Friday night to take on Central Coast Mariners.