An extra-time penalty handed Perth Glory a win over Mandurah City in a closely contested PS4 NPLWA encounter at Kelly’s Hot Water Community Stadium on Saturday.
Goals from Daniel Stynes and Kosta Petratos were enough to seal Glory’s second victory of the season, with Mandurah’s Ryan Francis providing some consolation for the home side with a scorching strike.
The match saw periods of dominance from both sides, with Glory unlucky not to go ahead after a dominant first half.
Mandurah keeper Cyril Sharrock was busy and denied Glory with a series of spectacular saves.
His best was in the 15th minute, diving to his left to stop a flicked Glory header from finding the net.
Mandurah started the second half with a renewed sense of vigour and took the lead in the 53rd.
Francis collected the ball outside the box and hit a curling shot into the left side of the net.
Conceding seemed to waken Glory and they began to regain the momentum.
Eventually, they equalised in the 70th minute. A long-range shot hit the post, deflecting into the back of Sharrock, and Stynes was on hand to score.
Mandurah striker Oriel Fernandez squandered two clear chances to put his side ahead.
After being played clean through on goal in the 84th, he could only manage to shoot wide. In the 86th, a cross from Francis found him at point blank range to goal, however, he lobbed it over the keeper and the bar.
The deciding moment occured in the 90th minute.
Joseph Knowles darted into the box and was pulled down, gifting Glory a penalty.
Petratos stepped up and hit the ball into the bottom corner, sealing the game for the Glory.
Mandurah coach Doug Hesketh felt his side was unlucky to lose.
“I thought they were fortunate with their first goal, it bounced off the post, into the back of [Sharrock’s] head, and then got given the penalty in the last minute,” he said.
“Although they were pretty with the ball and played efficiently, I thought the two goals that they scored were fortunate.”
The result sees the Glory pick up their second win of the season, while Mandurah is yet to win a game.