Sydney
2
ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Sunday, 28 Oct 2012
4:00PM AEDT
1
Perth Glory
 
 
I Necevski
1
S Ryall
2
T McClenahan
0
Yellow Card 75'
D Petkovski
25
B Emerton
7
Yellow Card 36' Goal 70'
P Reid
9
A Al Hilfi
22
Yellow Card 20'
R Grant
0
Yellow Card 75'
A Del Piero
10
Goal 59'
M Mallia
14
Sub Off 55'
K Lovrek
19
V Janjetovic
20
T McFlynn
15
J Chianese
16
J Glaize Yau
21
Sub On 55'
Preview: Sydney FC v Perth Glory
Date: Sunday, October 27, 2012
Kick-off: 5pm AEDT, 2pm (WAST)
Venue: ANZ Stadium, Sydney

Head-to-head:
Played 21: Wins: Sydney 10, Perth 4, Draws: 7

Previous encounter:
Sydney FC 2-1 Perth, February 11, 2012

Form:
Past matches:
Sydney FC: LLW
Perth: WLW

The Game:
It's been contrasting starts to the seasons for these two sides with the Glory flying high in equal first place while the Sky Blues have taken time to get into their stride. But they both head into this clash – the first Hyundai A-League game at ANZ Stadium - on the back of impressive wins. Sydney claimed early bragging rights in the local derby with Alessandro Del Piero's penalty giving them a 1-0 win over the Wanderers while Perth were too strong for Melbourne Heart in a 2-0 result. Already with injury problems in defence, Sky Blues coach Ian Crook will be sweating on the fitness of left-back Fabio, who picked up a thigh injury against Western Sydney. The Brazilian hasn't taken part in many training sessions this week and may not be risked, with youngster Daniel Petkovski his likely replacement. Dutchman Pascal Bosschaart is rated a 50-50 chance for a return. The Glory are still without striker Shane Smeltz with a hamstring injury. Billy Mehmet will again lead their attack. Bas van den Brink is also a chance to return from a calf strain, vying with Steve Pantelidis for a spot alongside Michael Thwaite in the centre of defence.

The big issue:
Sydney – Glory defender Steve Pantelidis had a little dig at the Sydney team this week by claiming Del Piero had 'carried' the side over the first three games. The reality is he's probably right with the Italian superstar not only scoring the goals but creating most of the Sky Blues' chances as well. If Sydney are to build on their win last week and start moving up the ladder they will need to have more players contributing in attack. Especially against a Glory defence that is as stingy as ever.

Perth – The Glory might have started this season the stronger but the West Australian's seem to have a mental barrier whenever they come up against the Sky Blues. Perth have beaten Sydney just four times in the history of the Hyundai A-League. Their last triumph over the two-time champions was way back in November 2009, with Sydney currently on an eight-game unbeaten run against Ian Ferguson's side. Can they stop the hoodoo or will Sydney's hold over the Glory continue?

The game breaker:
Alessandro Del Piero – Could it be anyone else? The 37-year-old has settled immediately into life in Australia and silenced anyone who had any doubts that he was simply here for a holiday. All of Sydney's forward play flows through Del Piero and the Glory will need to cut off his supply line whenever possible. It would come as no surprise if fiery Glory captain Jacob Burns shadows the former Juventus striker for the entire 90 minutes. He is deadly not just from set pieces but showed in the win over the Wanderers last week he still has the ability to run at defenders and draw fouls. Ominously for the rest of the competition Del Piero, who will run out in his 800th professional match on Sunday, still believes he is yet to reach his peak form. The Glory will hope it's at least another week away.

Prediction: Sydney 1-1 Perth
Perth have shown over the first three weeks they are again one of the teams to beat and are in stronger form than their hosts but Sydney's confidence-boosting win and imposing record over the Glory makes this one hard to pick. The promotion of Paul Reid to the midfield has given the Sky Blues a much more formidable looking defensive set-up and protection for what's been a shaky back four. In saying that, the Glory haven't exactly been banging in the goals, relying on two set pieces to beat the Heart last weekend. Perth's side has been together for much longer and it looks stronger than that of the home side but with Del Piero around the Sky Blues have an X-factor that can sometimes win a game on his own. It would come as no surprise if both sides cancelled each other out and shared the points.
League Position
 
Top Scorers
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 GoalsPensFirstLast
Discipline
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93:00 Full Time and Sydney FC have gone back-to-back with a come-from-behind victory against a 10-man Glory which was drama packed with Del Piero scoring and Pantelidis sent off. Sky Blues win 2-1.
 
90:22 CHANCE! A super chance for Perth to equalise as Harold tears his way down the left before cutting back for a sprinting Ward who piledrives a hard volley over the crossbar. Should have finessed it.
 
87:30 HANDBALL SHOUT! - Clear case for a handball is turned down by Green as Harold's cross dips into the area before Grant's hands leave his body to deflect the ball down into the turf. DRAMA!
 
83:05 Wasted opportunity for the Sky Blues as with their most recent corner, the ball is thrust back into general play where Abbas loads up and cannons a volley 20 yards wide of everything. Poor.
 
80:30 Perth ring in a double substitution with Harold replacing Heffernan whilst Ward replaces the goal-scoring hero for Dodd. Changes all around for the Glory who are winning plenty of ball. Tense.
 
78:25 Two consecutive corners for the Sky Blues sees Del Piero with two perfect inswingers with the latest won on the goal-line by Burns. With a little over 10 minutes remaining, can 10-man Perth equalise?
 
75:10 YELLOW CARD - Van Den Brink does superbly well to keep his legs despite being chopped at by Grant before he eventually loses his footing just outside the area. Green's seen it too. Yellow.
 
71:46 Lazy corner taken by the Glory as with Necevski taking an eternity to set his defenders, Thwaite and Burns arrive but both miss the delivery from the right. As does Necevski. Lucky play all round.
 
68:10 GOAL SYDNEY - Vukovic with a quick release which comes back at rapid-fire speed as Grant pinches the ball before turning Emerton clear. With Vukovic off his line, Emerton smartly chips him. 2-1..
 
61:45 Patience starting to pay for Sydney FC as Emerton and Del Piero start to turn the screws on Perth's midfielders. Not sure what was said at Half Time but it's certainly worked for the Sky Blues.
 
58:50 PENALTY GOAL SYDNEY! - Cometh the hour, cometh the man as Del Piero steadies himself on the spot, eyes up Vukovic and sends a wormburner to the left where it richochets its way in. GAME ON.
 
55:50 RED CARD! - Foolish from Pantelidis who comes across in an attempt to stop Emerton charging onto a sublime Abbas through ball but clearly drags Emerton to ground. Last defender. Clear as. He's gone.
 
53:05 Del Piero's free kick is a non-event as it's swung in from the right and immediately cleared out of defence by Risdon. With it, Sydney make their first chance with Yau replacing Mallia. Interesting.
 
50:25 YELLOW CARD - Well, well. Burns now picks up his obligatory yellow for angling in to thwart Del Piero's jinking run down the right channel. Offering him a tame handshake, Del Piero turns it down.
 
47:50 YELLOW CARD - Tasty start to proceedings as Mehmet reacts angrily to a challenge from Abbas, grabbing him by the neck before throwing him to ground. Green's got a powderkeg to control now.
 
45:00 Half Time at ANZ and cause of concern for Sydney FC as a lacklustre first stanza with limited chances has seen them well controlled by Perth who have not looked back since opening the scoring. 1-0.
 
41:40 Sydney FC stuck in their left corner as the Glory go about stemming their influence before Del Piero turns in a cross which Emerton fails to launch onto until too late. Should have read that.
 
38:55 Ian Crook will be having stern words with his chargers at the interval as the quality of play from Sydney FC has been nothing short of disappointing as Reid tangles with Burns. Tasty afters also.
 
35:15 YELLOW CARD - Crude from Emerton as his pursuit of Jamieson has him sliding in strongly from behind with studs showing.. he then proceeds to give Jamieson a gobful on the way through.
 
25:53 Sydney FC completely and utterly struggling in the middle as Thwaite and Heffernan continue to control general play. Del Piero, as expected, is appearing to be the only one winning the ball.
 
22:35 CHANCE SAVED! - Finally the Sky Blues manage to construct together a set of meaningful passes as Reid cuts into the right side of the box to send a powerful drive to Vukovic who tips clear.
 
19:20 YELLOW CARD - Dodd is looking for more space as he tears away down the right before having his legs taken from under him by Abbas. A clear card any day of the week. Only yellow this time.
 
16:45 GOAL GLORY - Completely soft defending from Sydney FC as McGarry lays a ball to Dodd who dances past six defenders from halfway before turning in to loft it over Necevski's head.
 
09:45 Del Piero with the wizardry in general play as he holds the ball stoutly before spinning a spinning ball to Mallia who streaks into the left side of the box before blasting a volley over Vukovic.
 
080:00 C. Harold enters play, replacing D. Heffernan.
 
080:00 T. Dodd is replaced with N. Ward.
 
075:00 R. Grant is yellow-carded.
 
070:00 Goal to Sydney, scored by B. Emerton!
 
069:00 B. van den Brink comes on for S. McGarry.
 
06:35 Free kick time for Sydney FC and it's time to stand as one for 'The Cove' as Del Piero stands wide-right to take it. Hit venomously, Vukovic is but a spectator as it whizzes clear of the crossbar.
 
059:00 Penalty goal scored by A. Del Piero!
 
057:00 The referee sends off S. Pantelidis!
 
055:00 M. Mallia is replaced with J. Glaize.
 
053:00 J. Burns goes into the referee''s book.
 
050:00 B. Mehmet gets yellow.
 
036:00 B. Emerton goes into the referee''s book.
 
03:45 Perth with the attacking prowress early as Dodd goes within millimetres of opening the scoring, flying onto a decent through ball from Thwaite which Necevski comes for to smother at the back post.
 
020:00 Ali Abbas gets yellow.
 
018:00 T. Dodd has scored a goal for Perth Glory!
 
00:02 The Del Piero roadshow rolls into ANZ Stadium as Sydney FC shape up against the solid performing Perth Glory in picture perfect conditions. Peter Green has the whistle as Perth Glory starts us off..
Home Team Statistic Away Team
2 Goals 1
0 Shots 0
0 Shots Off 0
0 Corners 0
0 Offside 0
0 Fouls 0
3 Yellows 2
0 Reds 1
0%
0%
Possession
Referee: P. Green
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Sydney fightback downs Glory
Sydney have come from behind to beat 10-man Perth 2-1 at ANZ Stadium on Sunday after Glory were denied a huge penalty shout in the dying stages.

The Sky Blues trailed 1-0 at half-time before goals to star duo Alessandro Del Piero and Brett Emerton turned the game on its head.

But the visitors will argue long and loud that they should have been awarded a penalty in the dying stages when Sydney defender Rhyan Grant handled in the box.

"It hit his hand. It's a definite penalty," Perth coach Ian Ferguson said.

"It was a guaranteed penalty and we didn't get it. I'm gobsmacked."

Sydney coach Ian Crook admitted it was a penalty.

Del Piero's goal came via the penalty spot after Steve Pantelidis brought down Emerton inside the box on 57 minutes.

Pantelidis was shown a red card and was halfway up the tunnel when Del Piero tucked away his spot- kick with a fortuitous ricochet off the left post.

Emerton sealed Perth's fate with a lovely chip over goalkeeper Danny Vukovic in the 70th minute.

The visitors kept coming and spurned at least three decent chances in the throes of full-time.

Perth have now gone nine matches across three years without a win against Sydney FC.

Things started well enough for Glory with Travis Dodd scoring after 18 minutes.

He collected the ball just inside the Sydney half after being set free by Steven McGarry and immediately made his way towards goal at pace.

He did Daniel Petkovski for speed before cutting back inside defender Trent McClenahan and beating 'keeper Ivan Necevski at the inside post with a sweetly-timed left-foot strike.

It was a lead Perth richly deserved after starting in an attacking frame of mind against the lacklustre and disjointed Sky Blues.

The hosts tried to work their way into the game but too often passes went astray, balls were over-hit or the wrong option taken.

Del Piero was a picture of frustration as his team-mates repeatedly failed to read his intentions or make the right runs.

Crook let fly with a few choice words at half-time - and it had the desired effect.

Sydney came out with a lot more intent and were rewarded with a goal 12 minutes after the re-start.

Ali Abbas played Emerton into the box with a lovely first-time ball but Pantelidis grabbed the Socceroo before he could pull the trigger.

It was a straight red card and an easy penalty decision.

Del Piero's penalty levelled things up and 12 minutes later Emerton put them ahead.

Vukovic ill-advisedly rolled the ball out to Liam Miller and he was harassed and dispossessed by Grant, who immediately passed to Emerton.

The Sydney captain deftly chipped Vukovic to give Sydney the lead.

Despite enjoying a one-man advantage, they were made to work hard right until the end as Perth kept pressing until the full-time whistle.

Sydney FC 2 (Del Piero 58, Emerton 70)
Perth Glory 1 (Dodd 18)
Crowd: 22,128
Home Team Statistic Away Team
2 Goals 1
0 Shots 0
0 Shots Off 0
0 Corners 0
0 Offside 0
0 Fouls 0
3 Yellows 2
0 Reds 1
0%
0%
Possession
Referee: P. Green
93:00 Full Time and Sydney FC have gone back-to-back with a come-from-behind victory against a 10-man Glory which was drama packed with Del Piero scoring and Pantelidis sent off. Sky Blues win 2-1.
 
90:22 CHANCE! A super chance for Perth to equalise as Harold tears his way down the left before cutting back for a sprinting Ward who piledrives a hard volley over the crossbar. Should have finessed it.
 
87:30 HANDBALL SHOUT! - Clear case for a handball is turned down by Green as Harold's cross dips into the area before Grant's hands leave his body to deflect the ball down into the turf. DRAMA!
 
83:05 Wasted opportunity for the Sky Blues as with their most recent corner, the ball is thrust back into general play where Abbas loads up and cannons a volley 20 yards wide of everything. Poor.
 
80:30 Perth ring in a double substitution with Harold replacing Heffernan whilst Ward replaces the goal-scoring hero for Dodd. Changes all around for the Glory who are winning plenty of ball. Tense.
 
78:25 Two consecutive corners for the Sky Blues sees Del Piero with two perfect inswingers with the latest won on the goal-line by Burns. With a little over 10 minutes remaining, can 10-man Perth equalise?
 
75:10 YELLOW CARD - Van Den Brink does superbly well to keep his legs despite being chopped at by Grant before he eventually loses his footing just outside the area. Green's seen it too. Yellow.
 
71:46 Lazy corner taken by the Glory as with Necevski taking an eternity to set his defenders, Thwaite and Burns arrive but both miss the delivery from the right. As does Necevski. Lucky play all round.
 
68:10 GOAL SYDNEY - Vukovic with a quick release which comes back at rapid-fire speed as Grant pinches the ball before turning Emerton clear. With Vukovic off his line, Emerton smartly chips him. 2-1..
 
61:45 Patience starting to pay for Sydney FC as Emerton and Del Piero start to turn the screws on Perth's midfielders. Not sure what was said at Half Time but it's certainly worked for the Sky Blues.
 
58:50 PENALTY GOAL SYDNEY! - Cometh the hour, cometh the man as Del Piero steadies himself on the spot, eyes up Vukovic and sends a wormburner to the left where it richochets its way in. GAME ON.
 
55:50 RED CARD! - Foolish from Pantelidis who comes across in an attempt to stop Emerton charging onto a sublime Abbas through ball but clearly drags Emerton to ground. Last defender. Clear as. He's gone.
 
53:05 Del Piero's free kick is a non-event as it's swung in from the right and immediately cleared out of defence by Risdon. With it, Sydney make their first chance with Yau replacing Mallia. Interesting.
 
50:25 YELLOW CARD - Well, well. Burns now picks up his obligatory yellow for angling in to thwart Del Piero's jinking run down the right channel. Offering him a tame handshake, Del Piero turns it down.
 
47:50 YELLOW CARD - Tasty start to proceedings as Mehmet reacts angrily to a challenge from Abbas, grabbing him by the neck before throwing him to ground. Green's got a powderkeg to control now.
 
45:00 Half Time at ANZ and cause of concern for Sydney FC as a lacklustre first stanza with limited chances has seen them well controlled by Perth who have not looked back since opening the scoring. 1-0.
 
41:40 Sydney FC stuck in their left corner as the Glory go about stemming their influence before Del Piero turns in a cross which Emerton fails to launch onto until too late. Should have read that.
 
38:55 Ian Crook will be having stern words with his chargers at the interval as the quality of play from Sydney FC has been nothing short of disappointing as Reid tangles with Burns. Tasty afters also.
 
35:15 YELLOW CARD - Crude from Emerton as his pursuit of Jamieson has him sliding in strongly from behind with studs showing.. he then proceeds to give Jamieson a gobful on the way through.
 
25:53 Sydney FC completely and utterly struggling in the middle as Thwaite and Heffernan continue to control general play. Del Piero, as expected, is appearing to be the only one winning the ball.
 
22:35 CHANCE SAVED! - Finally the Sky Blues manage to construct together a set of meaningful passes as Reid cuts into the right side of the box to send a powerful drive to Vukovic who tips clear.
 
19:20 YELLOW CARD - Dodd is looking for more space as he tears away down the right before having his legs taken from under him by Abbas. A clear card any day of the week. Only yellow this time.
 
16:45 GOAL GLORY - Completely soft defending from Sydney FC as McGarry lays a ball to Dodd who dances past six defenders from halfway before turning in to loft it over Necevski's head.
 
09:45 Del Piero with the wizardry in general play as he holds the ball stoutly before spinning a spinning ball to Mallia who streaks into the left side of the box before blasting a volley over Vukovic.
 
080:00 C. Harold enters play, replacing D. Heffernan.
 
080:00 T. Dodd is replaced with N. Ward.
 
075:00 R. Grant is yellow-carded.
 
070:00 Goal to Sydney, scored by B. Emerton!
 
069:00 B. van den Brink comes on for S. McGarry.
 
06:35 Free kick time for Sydney FC and it's time to stand as one for 'The Cove' as Del Piero stands wide-right to take it. Hit venomously, Vukovic is but a spectator as it whizzes clear of the crossbar.
 
059:00 Penalty goal scored by A. Del Piero!
 
057:00 The referee sends off S. Pantelidis!
 
055:00 M. Mallia is replaced with J. Glaize.
 
053:00 J. Burns goes into the referee''s book.
 
050:00 B. Mehmet gets yellow.
 
036:00 B. Emerton goes into the referee''s book.
 
03:45 Perth with the attacking prowress early as Dodd goes within millimetres of opening the scoring, flying onto a decent through ball from Thwaite which Necevski comes for to smother at the back post.
 
020:00 Ali Abbas gets yellow.
 
018:00 T. Dodd has scored a goal for Perth Glory!
 
00:02 The Del Piero roadshow rolls into ANZ Stadium as Sydney FC shape up against the solid performing Perth Glory in picture perfect conditions. Peter Green has the whistle as Perth Glory starts us off..
Home Team Statistic Away Team
2 Goals 1
0 Shots 0
0 Shots Off 0
0 Corners 0
0 Offside 0
0 Fouls 0
3 Yellows 2
0 Reds 1
0%
0%
Possession
Referee: P. Green
To view profiles, please select a player below
1
D Vukovic
5
S Pantelidis
Red Card 57'
8
D Heffernan
Sub Off 80'
19
J Risdon
21
S Jamieson
23
M Thwaite
7
J Burns
Yellow Card 53'
10
L Miller
14
S McGarry
Sub Off 69'
4
B Mehmet
Yellow Card 50'
13
T Dodd
Sub Off 80'
Goal 18'
39
D Spence
0
B van den Brink
Sub On 69'
6
N Ward
Sub On 80'
17
C Harold
Sub On 80'