A-League: Perth Glory beat Wellington Phoenix for first win of season

Perth Glory have scored their first win of the A-League season with a 2-0 win over Wellington Phoenix.

Roly Bonevacia of the Phoenix and Glory’s Marc Warren vie for the ball at NIB Stadium.

Perth Glory have scored their first win of the A-League season with a 2-0 win over Wellington Phoenix at NIB Stadium last night.

The Phoenix were coming off an opening-round loss to Melbourne City and started strongly but Glory took control and turned their dominance into goals in the second half.

Perth got on the board through a Diego Castro penalty and they should have doubled their advantage, but Andy Keogh delivered a powerless penalty effort in the 61st minute.

It mattered little with Nebojsa Marinkovic scoring with a powerful shot five minutes later having come on for the injured Adam Taggart.

It was a sloppy start from the home team but Glory soon settled and over the last half-hour of the first half had plenty of chances they could and should have converted.

Castro, Chris Harold, Marinkovic, Keogh and Rostyn Griffiths all had good looks on goal but none gave Phoenix goalkeeper Glen Moss any serious headaches.

While Wellington was hanging in there well in the first half, it didn’t last.

Perth’s opening goal came when Adam Parkhouse tripped Harold in the box when he was awaiting a cross from Keogh and Castro had no trouble with the 48th-minute penalty.

A stunning run by Josh Risdon in the 66th minute set up Marinkovic to strike a cracking goal to put Perth 2-0.

The win comes after Perth’s 3-3 draw at home to Central Coast despite leading 3-0 and now they go on the road to face unbeaten Melbourne City on Friday. Wellington host the also undefeated Sydney FC on Sunday.

The A-League has its early title favourites, now the long wait is on for a blockbuster round-10 clash when Melbourne City and Sydney FC meet to decide whose case is stronger.

No other side has showed anything near the class and utter ruthlessness displayed by the two glamour clubs in the opening two rounds of the season.

Sydney’s back-to-back 4-0 floggings of Western Sydney and Central Coast have them at the top of the table on goal difference from second-placed City, whose 4-1 Melbourne derby whitewash has to be seen to be believed in much the same fashion as Tim Cahill’s preposterous first A-League goal.

AAP