Sydney FC have ended Perth Glory’s unbeaten start to the A-League season with a 2-1 win at NIB Stadium on Friday evening.
Playing in sweltering conditions, the Sky Blues came into the game as underdogs despite having the wood over Tony Popovic’s charges who were coming into the game on top of the A-League table.
However, it was Sydney who struck first when English import, Adam Le Fondre slammed home a loose ball inside the eighteen-yard-box following a beautiful corner from Brandon O’Neill.
Both sides exchanged blows before half-time as Andy Keogh and Alex Brosque respectively tested their opposite numbers between the sticks to set up an exciting second-half.
As the second-half wore on, Sydney put the final nail in the coffin when substitution, Daniel De Silva put home the icing on the cake to finally open his A-League account since moving from the Central Coast Mariners.
As the game ticked towards the end, Perth were able to create a nervy finish when recently called up Socceroo, Chris Ikonomidis scrappily got the home side back in the game getting on the end of a header from Dino Djulbic.
The Glory thought they had a winner when substitute, Brendon Santalab thought he had his first Perth goal but was ruled out for a foul from Joel Chianese on Andrew Redmayne.
The win for Steve Corica’s men makes it nine in a row over the Glory and thrusts them into third ahead of a clash against the Roar next Saturday at home.
Perth now will have a nervous wait ahead of the Melbourne Derby as a Victory win will put them top for the time being but they have a chance to rectify this defeat when they take on the Mariners on New Years Eve in Gosford.
