Match Report: Glory downed by Bulls in aLM season-opener

Perth Glory endured a difficult start to the new Isuzu UTE A-League season, going down 6-1 to Macarthur FC at Campbelltown Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Match Highlights available HERE

David Zdrilic’s post-match media conference available HERE

The Bulls’ victory was based on a first-half blitz which began when Jed Drew capitalised upon a defensive error and found the net seven minutes in.

Jake Hollman made it 2-0 almost immediately, Tomi Uskok forced home a loose ball for the third and Marin Jakolis duly helped himself to a quickfire brace to leave the hosts 5-0 up at the break.

Their sixth goal arrived on the hour-mark courtesy of Valere Germain, before teenager Adam Bugarija marked his first A-League appearance by curling in a consolation effort for Glory 17 minutes from time.

A Glory side containing five debutants began the game brightly, only for Macarthur to score with their first chance as Hollman picked off an errant back-pass and squared for Drew who slipped the ball past Oli Sail.

Drew then returned the favour, teeing up Hollman for the hosts’ second and Glory’s hopes of a first ever away win over the Bulls continued to fade midway through the first half when Uskok fired in the loose ball after Jakolis’ effort had been parried by Sail.

Defender Kaelan Majekodunmi came close to pulling one back for the visitors, drawing a fine save from Filip Kurto with a curling, 20m effort, only for Jakolis to cut in from the left at the other end and bend a shot past Sail to make it 4-0.

And in first-half stoppage-time, the Croatian was sent through on goal by Hollman and applied a composed one-on-one finish for his second and Macarthur’s fifth.

Adam Taggart saw a second effort ruled out for offside shortly after the restart, but the Bulls soon found their way through again, this time Jakolis crossing for Germain who stooped to nod in at the far post.

Glory did at least manage to have the final word in what was a memorable moment for Bugarija, the 19-year-old clipping home a lofted shot from the edge of the box after Taggart’s persistence had carved out the opportunity.

Match Details

Isuzu UTE A-League 2024/25 Season Round 1

Macarthur FC 6 (Drew 7′, Hollman 10′, Uskok 21′, Jakolis 30′, 45+1′, Germain 61′) Perth Glory 1

Half-time: 5-0

Campbelltown Stadium

Sunday 20 October 2024

Referee: Ben Abraham

Macarthur FC: 12.Filip KURTO (gk), 5.Matthew JURMAN, 6. Tomislav USKOK (15.Dino ARSLANAGIC 67′), 8.Jake HOLLMAN (28.Harrison SAWYER 68′), 11.Jed DREW (24.Dean BOSNJAK 67′), 13.Ivan VUJICA, 20. Kealey ADAMSON, 22.Liam ROSE, 26.Luke BRATTAN, 44.Marin JAKOLIS (18.Walter SCOTT 74′), 98.Valere GERMAIN (19.Ariath PIOL 82′)

Substitutes not used: 27.Joshua DAMEVSKI, 30.Alexander ROBINSON (GK)

Yellow Cards: None

Red Cards: None

Perth Glory: 1.Oli SAIL (gk), 4.Luke BODNAR (26.Khoa NGO 46′), 6.Brandon O’NEILL, 11.Hiroaki AOYAMA (16.Adam BUGARIJA 46′), 12.Taras GOMULKA, 15.Zach LISOLAJSKI, 21.Abdul FAISAL (10.Nikola MILEUSNIC 76′), 22.Adam TAGGART (c), 24.Andriano LEBIB, 28.Kaelan MAJEKODUNMI (17.Jarrod CARLUCCIO 64′), 33.Luis CANGA (3.Anas HAMZAOUI 46′)

Substitutes not used: 9.David WILLIAMS, 13.Cameron COOK (gk)

Yellow Cards: Lebib

Red Cards: None

#ONEGlory