Perth Glory's frustrating start to the A-League Men season has continued, with the team remaining at the foot of the ladder after a 1-0 home defeat to Central Coast Mariners at HBF Park on Friday night.
The loss marks a fourth consecutive game without a victory for Glory, making them one of only two teams, alongside Western Sydney Wanderers, yet to secure a win this season. The team's inability to find the net is a growing concern, having not scored since the 26th minute of their round one draw with Wellington Phoenix.
First-Half Promise Fades for Glory
Despite the final score, Perth began the match with clear intent and control. They enjoyed 55 per cent of possession in the first half, with midfielders Rhys Bozinovski and Callum Timmins dictating the tempo.
The new-look attacking partnership of Adam Taggart and Sebastian Despotovski showed flashes of promise, causing significant problems for the Mariners' defence. Taggart forced a brilliant flying save from Mariners' keeper Andrew Redmayne, while the two forwards combined on several occasions, missing chances by mere inches.
In contrast, the Central Coast Mariners failed to register a single shot on target in the first 45 minutes, with their best effort coming from a blocked Nicholas Duarte attempt.
Brandtman's Stunning Strike Seals the Match
The game's momentum shifted decisively in the 57th minute. Mariners' attacker Bailey Brandtman cut in from the right flank onto his favoured left foot and, given too much space by the Glory defence, unleashed a rasping strike into the top corner of the net, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance.
This stunning goal, coming just a minute after the Mariners' first shot on target, ultimately proved to be the match-winner. Perth Glory struggled to mount a meaningful response, with clear-cut chances becoming scarce as the Mariners' defence, marshalled by Nathan Paull and Bradley Tapp, stood firm.
Looking Ahead: The International Break and a New Coach
The result leaves Perth Glory in a precarious position as the league enters an international break. The club is also navigating a coaching crisis, having recently sacked David Zdrilic, and will be hoping to appoint a new coach by the end of next week.
Substitute Khoa Ngo injected some late energy and came close to scoring, but the Mariners effectively saw out the game by sitting deep. For Perth, the international break offers a critical opportunity to regroup and address their glaring issues in front of goal before their campaign slips further away.
