A-League Men: Perth Glory avoid A-League Men record 19th game without victory with 1-0 win over Brisbane Roar

After 18 games, Perth Glory have finally won an A-League Men’s match, as a David Williams strike earned the embattled side a 1-0 win over Brisbane Roar to help his club avoid unwanted history. Williams’ decisive second-half goal lifted Perth off the foot of the table and in the process of halting their 10-month search for a win, also meant they avoided the A-League Men’s record for longest ever winless run. It may not have been pretty at times, as quality was in short supply for the match between the bottom two sides in the league, but Perth’s defence kept their second clean sheet of the season as young Andriano Lebib and veteran Tomi Mrcela held down the fort. While the result may only alleviate an iota of pressure on coach David Zdrilic, it did give the rookie head coach his first league win in charge of the Glory. Most impressively, the win came sans Adam Taggart, with the Glory captain and star striker ruled out through illness, which precipitated Williams’ starting berth. Glory midfielder Nicholas Pennington told Paramount+ post-game the win had been a long time coming but he was glad they finally got reward for effort. “We’ve waited for this so long and we’ve worked really hard. I know things haven’t been good enough in the past weeks, but we have been putting in a lot of work and all of the boys are training really hard and trying really hard,” he said, “I’m so happy for everyone we got a result and we can celebrate for once. “It’s hot in Perth, but it’s not as humid, so it’s not conditions we’re really used to. It’s like this for both teams. It’s a struggle to play good transition football and run a lot.” There was a surprise start for young centre-back Lebib in the heart of defence, while Zdrilic also named Trent Ostler and Abdul Faisal in the line-up. Perhaps it was the humidity in the air or maybe simply a reflection on the standard of the league’s two worst teams, but there was a distinct lack of energy in the game, not helped by a sparse crowd far outnumbered by empty seats at a cavernous Suncorp Stadium. Neither team were throwing anything close to haymakers, as Roar custodian Macklin Freke watched as Abdul Faisal shot wide and Adam Bugarija had a shot blocked early. Similarly, while Brisbane enjoyed more of the ball and one dipping, crossbar-rattling, long-range effort from ex-Glory man Keegan Jelacic aside, were unable to trouble Cameron Cook in goal. As half-time inched closer, Perth looked the more likely to, if not score, at least carve out something resembling a clear-cut goal-scoring chance, but their lack of quality in the final third was clear. Pennington’s clever scoop over the defence opened up an opportunity for Bugarija, but his hesitation allowed Hosine Bility to steal in and get his body between him and the ball, as the two sides went into the break goalless. Despite the two sides’ lack of wins this season, the game settled into a sleepy holding pattern with a strangely distinct lack of desperation. Former Glory forward Adam Zimarino wasted a golden chance early in the second-half when the ball rolled to him in the box, but he lifted the ball disappointingly over the bar. The breakthrough and sweet relief for the Glory came in the 69th minute, when Josh Risdon dinked the ball to back post and Williams ghosted in unmarked, his left-foot volley hit sweetly and finding the net via Diesel Herrington’s leg. Brisbane’s deficit awoke a late Roar charge and they launched a series of menacing raids on Perth’s goal, with Jay O’Shea forcing a save from Cook and Jack Hingert heading over late.