Melbourne City see red in loss to Perth Glory after VAR controversy
MELBOURNE City’s splendid start to the A-League season has all but evaporated, capitulating 3-1 at home to Perth Glory in agame mired in another VAR controversy.
Football
Don't miss out on the headlines from Football. Followed categories will be added to My News.
MELBOURNE City’s splendid start has all but evaporated, capitulating at home to Perth Glory in a game mired in another VAR controversy.
In stark contrast to the military-like discipline displayed in the opening four rounds of the season, a disjointed and ill-disciplined City display underpinned the 3-1 loss to Perth Glory.
City’s Manchester-based football chief Brian Marwood was in the stands and he will have his work cut out dissecting this display and lifting morale, which
City midfielder Osama Malik was sent off for the second time this season – but he has every reason to feel stiff on this occasion with no malice in his sliding challenge, nor did it prevent a scoring opportunity.
Malik’s studs did land on the thigh of Glory winger Jacob Italiano, well after he blasted wide in an incident that looked worse on slow motion replays.
The VAR called Daniel Elder to the sideline, and with the benefit of the replay he returned to send off Malik and award a penalty, which Xavi Torres converted.
“He (Malik) is down in the dressingroom. You feel for him, he’s a good kid, honest kid,” City coach Warren Joyce said.
“It’s a weird one, there’s got to be something bit more instant. I don’t want to get into it. I think it’s plain to see the problems.
“It’s a waste of time talking about refereeing decisions.”
The farcical scenes - the penalty was taken 3 minutes, 41 seconds after the incident - punctuated another heated match between these combatants, whose rivalry has kicked off in the last 15 months.
Led by speedy second-game teen Jacob Italiano, Glory came out on the attack and it was his burst down the left that led to the opener, as Andy Keogh cut it back for Mitch Nichols who scored via a big deflection.
Scottish striker Ross McCormack justified his return from a club-imposed suspension to net his fifth of the season, curling his free-kick over the wall and dipping it into the bottom left corner.
The goal came as Keogh was floored, succumbing to a soft tissue injury.
Referee Elder’s refusal to stop the play drew the ire of glory coach Kenny Lowe, who became the first A-League coach booked under FFA’s new rules.
Chaos ensued just before the break, when a seemingly innocuous collision led to the review and send off, which was a yellow card at worst and a dubious penalty altogether.
City marquee man Marcin Budzinski blasted across the face just after the break as they looked to respond but Liam Reddy did not have a save to make.
Tim Cahill’s 69th minute introduction – for McCormack – injected life into City, but it was a mere sugar-hit.
City were caught out after committing almost everyone in the box, as a Nick Fitzgerald was pick-pocketed too easily in the 83rd minute by Glory sub Mitch Mallia, who had a clear passage from goal to halfway, waltzed forward to score with only keeper Eugene Galekovic to beat.
Cahill’s stoppage time leap almost led to a goal, as did Budzinski’s turn and shot. But it would’ve been a mere consolation.
MELBOURNE CITY 1 (McCormack 31) PERTH GLORY 3 (Nichols 12, Torres PEN 43, Mallia 83)
Crowd: 6963 at AAMI Park
City (4-2-3-1): Galekovic; Fitzgerald, Schenkeveld, Jakobsen, Jamieson; Malik, Mauk (Kilkenny 78); Brattan, Budzinksi, Kamau (Muscat 50); McCormack (Cahill 69).
Glory (4-2-2-1-1): Reddy; Walker, Grant, Lowry, Mills; Wilson, Torres; Harold (Mallia 67), Nichols (Brimmer 86), Italiano; Keogh (Knowles 30).
Referee: Daniel Elder
Yellow cards: Lowe 32, Schenkeveld 60, Mallia 83.
Red cards: Malik 41.
DAVUTOVIC’S MAN OF THE MATCH
Jacob Italiano (Glory)
A stellar display for the second-gamer, bursting forward for the opener and winning the controversial penalty. Not bad for a 16-year-old.
Originally published as Melbourne City see red in loss to Perth Glory after VAR controversy
30k or fail: Melbourne’s got no excuse for a poor decider crowd
The first ever Melbourne derby decider is set but now the fans need to show up in full force, no excuses. Plus, if Victory needed the extra motivation, the TACKLE says ‘you’re welcome.’
‘Kill off the main character’: Ominous Ange joke amid unclear future
Ange Postecoglou has sheepishly walked back comments made at Tottenham’s Europa League trophy parade, with the Australian manager making it clear his future at the club remains uncertain.