Western Sydney Wanderers were unable to halt Perth Glory’s strong run of form on Saturday night, falling 3-1 at the Sam Kerr Football Centre despite a spirited second-half response.
In a match where Perth proved clinical with their opportunities, the Glory made the most of their chances with three long-range goals from limited looks at goal, while the Wanderers were left to rue missed moments despite periods of control.
The opening exchanges were evenly contested before Perth struck first in the 29th minute. Izzy Dalton pounced on a loose Wanderers clearance and slipped Emma Tovar into space on the edge of the area, where the American midfielder unleashed a powerful strike beyond Sham Khamis to open the scoring.
The visitors doubled their advantage just before the break through Susan Phonsongkham, who converted a well-taken free kick from the edge of the area after Sarah O’Donoghue was brought down following a strong driving run. The two goals gave Perth a 2-0 lead heading into half-time.
Western Sydney emerged with renewed intent after the restart and began to apply sustained pressure in the attacking third. Their persistence was rewarded in the 75th minute when Yuan Cong reacted quickest inside the box, finishing from close range after Ella Buchanan’s effort flashed across goal to give the Red & Black a deserved lifeline.
With momentum building and belief growing, the Wanderers pushed for an equaliser, but Perth restored their two-goal buffer inside the final ten minutes. Ella Lincoln capitalised on a defensive scramble to create space for herself before calmly guiding a left-footed finish into the bottom corner.
Despite the result, the Wanderers’ second-half performance highlighted their ability to respond and compete, particularly against a Perth side currently sitting among the league’s leading teams.
Western Sydney will now turn their attention to a home clash against Brisbane Roar next Friday night at Wanderers Football Park, as they look to convert improved performances into points.
