Perth Glory 0-2 Sydney FC

It was a case of another matchday, another defeat for Perth Glory who continued their miserable A-League campaign with a 2-0 loss to Sydney FC at nib Stadium tonight.

Ian Ferguson’s side lacked any penetration going forward while being far from comfortable at the back against last season’s champions on a warm night in Western Australia.

Sydney threatened first on four minutes when Tando Velaphi was forced to turn Nicky Carle’s stinging drive over the bar for a corner.

It didn’t take long for Carle to find the net however as he opened the scoring five minutes later. Picking up the ball 35 yards from goal, he fed Bruno Cazarine who flicked the ball up for the onrushing midfielder to loop a header over Velaphi. The goalkeeper has had a nightmare few weeks and his positioning was again suspect.

Glory created a good chance on 23 minutes when Robbie Fowler linked well with Todd Howarth. The latter’s cross from the left found Adriano Pellegrino 12 yards from goal but his volley was sliced badly wide.

The home side enjoyed a large share of the possession during the first half hour but were unable to convert the few chances they created. Scott Neville, who is rumoured to be heading for trials with Wolverhampton Wanderers in England at the end of the season, should have done better with a good cross from Naum Sekulovski. Instead his effort went harmlessly wide of Ivan Necevski’s right hand post.

Sydney striker Dimitri Petratos came close to extending his side’s lead on 39 minutes. He outfoxed Neville from Necevski’s long punt and shot from inside the area but the effort was straight at Velaphi who was able to save comfortably.

The second half started in similar fashion to the first with the visitors having an early effort at goal. This time it was Matthew Jurman with the chance but he headed wide from a free kick.

Bruno Cazarine, who had failed to score in his last three games, did make it 2-0 on 52 minutes when he latched on to a neat flick from Petratos to slot the ball home under Velaphi.

Glory created a superb opportunity to get back into the game shortly after. Mile Sterjovksi worked hard down the left to win the ball before squaring it to Fowler.

The former Liverpool man’s first time shot lacked conviction however and missed the target.

Sterjovski then wasted Glory’s best opportunity of the game, shooting tamely wide having been played through superbly by Adriano Pellegrino.

With the game effectively over as a contest, both sides showed plenty of late season fatigue as the temperature hovered around 28 degrees throughout.

The win means Sydney can still mathematically make the playoffs while Perth's season has been over for a long time.

Perth Glory: T Velaphi, J Risdon, S Neville, J Mitchell, N Sekulovski, S McGarry, J Burns, T Howarth, M Sterjovski, A Pellegrino, R Fowler.

Subs: R Pearson, T Amphlett, N Fondyke, A Taggart.

Sydney FC: I Necevski, S Jamieson, S Keller, H Moriyasu, S Musialik, T McFlynn, M Jurman, S Byun, B Cazarine, N Carle, D Petratos.

Subs: D Mitchell, S Ryall, S Cole, J Makela.