Thursday, November 4, 2010

Perth Glory 0-0 Melbourne Heart: Glory end inglorious run of losses

Perth Glory 0-0 Melbourne Heart

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Perth Glory ended their dismal run of seven consecutive defeats with this goalless draw against the visiting Melbourne Heart at NIB Stadium in Perth on Wednesday evening.

It was the third clean sheet for Heart and their fifth game without defeat in a row.

Perth made five changes to their line-up, with Robbie Fowler relegated to the bench and Branco Jelic dropped. Mile Sterjovski and Michael Baird led the home side’s attack.

Heart gave captain Simon Colosimo a place in the starting line-up, but in midfield and not in defence.

Glory had the better of the opening half, but they were unable to beat Clint Bolton.

Both sides had chances in the second period, the best for Perth falling to Sterjovksi. Baird sent over a cross from the left, but Sterjovski ballooned the ball over the bar.

In the dying minutes, Heart launched an all-out blitz on the Perth goal and Eli Babalj smacked a header against a post and then had a close-range effort saved by Tando Velaphi.

In the end, both sides were pleased to earn a point.

The Heart stay in 6th place but draw level on 17 points with 5th placed Melbourne Victory, while Perth remain 8th but are level on 12 points with 7th-placed Wellington Phoenix.

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Perth Glory: Velaphi - Neville, Todd, Griffiths, J Coyne - Amphlett (Fowler 65), Burns, Fondyke (Pellegrino 76), Howarth - Sterjovski, Baird (Mitchell 79) [Substitute not used: Vrteski]

Booked: Baird 11, Griffiths 39, Todd 72, Fowler 77, Fondyke 77

Melbourne Heart: Bolton - Marrone, Beauchamp, Thompson, Behich - Skoko, Colosimo, Kalmar - Zahra (Hoffman 68), Sibon (Babalj 58), Worm (Heffernan 90) [Substitute not used: Zois]

Booked: Marrone 67, Worm 72

Att: 5,745

Ref: C Beath

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I viewed most of the game, but didn't see the end.

Kleberson

Anonymous said...

I noticed that Glory still played a 4-4-2. They simply changed personnel, not tactics. Can't Mitchell or Ferguson ever follow trends of international football and play different formations?

I was impressed by Glory's squeezing. Heart had little time and space on the ball, but still managed a fair proportion of possession, albeit in their own half.

The crowd of five and a half thousand was disappointing.

Casual Observer