Pretenders to contenders: Perth Glory makes huge statement against Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park

In a mightily impressive season, Perth Glory made their biggest statement yet against fellow A-League title contender Melbourne Victory to claim a loose grip on the Premier’s Plate.

Neil Kilkenny celebrates his penalty. Picture: AAP

In a mightily impressive season, Perth Glory made their biggest statement yet against fellow A-League title contender Melbourne Victory to claim a loose grip on the Premier’s Plate.

Glory were as impressive on their visit to Victory, but that was back in Round 2 when no-one pre-empted what was to come.

The WA side arrived at AAMI Park as the league leaders, and the 25,071 crowd created a cauldron-like atmosphere and willed Victory to the line, helped by the late introduction of Keisuke Honda.

Neil Kilkenny celebrates his penalty. Picture: AAP

Kosta Barbarouses scored late to give Victory hope, but Neil Kilkenny and Diego Castro’s goals secured a 2-1 win to open up a seven-point gap with nine games left.

Minus striker Ola Toivonen and with Honda making his first appearance in two months, it’s not panic stations for Victory, but it gives Glory a mental edge in what was possibly a grand final preview.

TACTICAL TWEAKS

While scoreless at the break, the first half chess battle between the title contenders was enthralling as both teams adopted slight tweaks as the former Socceroos teammates, now coaches tried to outfox each other.

Kevin Muscat directed Elvis Kamsoba to try and roam forward towards the left wing in an attempt to pin back Glory’s Ivan Franjic.

Top scorer Andy Keogh was a shock omission by Tony Popovic, with Joel Chianese coming into the front three with Castro and Socceroo Chris Ikonomidis.

Kosta Barbarouses gave Victory a late sniff. Picture: AAP

LATINO DUEL

Castro effectively played like a false nine, and the superstar was virtually man-marked by fellow Spaniard Raul Baena, who sat deeper in place of injured Carl Valeri in anchor midfield.

With Baena often caught deep as Castro stayed high, with Victory full-backs Storm Roux and Corey Brown also pinned back as Glory wing-backs Franjic and the dangerous Jason Davidson pushed on, Victory struggled to get numbers forward.

In the end a penalty broke the deadlock, as Kilkenny’s dink struck the arm of Brown. Kilkenny stepped up to score, although keeper Lawrence Thomas got a glove on it.

KENNY’S TEST

After sitting on the bench last week, Toivonen was omitted from the squad altogether, in what was Kenny Athiu’s biggest test of his short career.

Battling the A-League’s stingiest defence and Socceroo Matthew Spiranovic, Athiu was mauled when Victory needed the ball to stick.

In saying that he toiled and produced a fine save from Liam Reddy just before the break.

Athiu was withdrawn just after Glory’s opener, as the more agile Kamsoba went up front.

HONDA REV

Keisuke Honda replaced Athiu, and the home fans went berserk, with his and Georg Niedermeier’s introduction giving Victory an immediate lift.

But it quickly evaporated as Castro scored the killer second, with a clever volley from Ikonomidis’ cross.

Returning Keisuke Honda showed how valuable he is. Picture: Getty

Honda’s presence helped Victory wrestle some ascendancy back and they looked more composed and players were more inclined to push forward, as witnessed when Broxham — who moved from stopper to right-back after the reshuffle — was on the edge of his penalty area when he slipped the ball through for Barbarouses’ 78th goal.

He almost had the ultimate impact, as Honda fizzed one just over the crossbar in the last action of the game.

Victory may have lost, but the teams will clash again in the regular season and a finals battle is on the cards.

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Originally published as Pretenders to contenders: Perth Glory makes huge statement against Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park