Photo courtesy Tom McCarthy/NPLPhotos
Perth SC were held to a 0-0 draw by third-placed Perth Glory in an entertaining Round 11 NPLM clash at Sam Kerr Football Centre yesterday.
The Azzurri bounced back from last weekend’s thrashing at Olympic Kingsway to put in a strong performance against Glory, however Kenny Lowe’s side would rue the abundance of missed opportunities which should have seen them come away with maximum points.
Injuries and suspensions forced Lowe into a bit of a reshuffle of the starting line-up. Mat Zaniewski started in goal after Mark Birighitti’s departure to Perth Glory’s A-League squad during the week. Zayd Farah started at right back after a long-term injury and Josh Cala moved into his preferred defensive midfield position after playing most of the year as a right back. Lowe also gave youngster Elmar Dzamastagic his first start in midfield.
The Azzurri started brightly and had two shots on goal through Dzamastagic and Ethan Banks inside the first 10 minutes. Then in the 13th minute, Dzamastagic played in Daniel Faichney, who was playing once again as a make-shift striker for the injured Gordon Perkins, but his shot across Glory keeper Ryan Warner went agonisingly wide.
Faichney had another excellent opportunity to put the Azzurri ahead six minutes later when he latched onto a long ball from Farah, but he blazed high and wide on the half volley.
Adrian Pini had Glory’s first chance in the 24th minute but shot over the bar after some good work by the home side on the left.
Azzurri midfielder Abdul Osman played Faichney in again in the 42nd minute but his shot did not have enough power on it to trouble Warner as the sides went into the half-time break scoreless.
Glory had the first chance of the second half when Azzurri skipper David Ninkovich was dispossessed in midfield in the 50th minute. Glory substitute and former Perth SC junior Noah Ieraci’s resulting run and shot was pushed past the post by Zaniewski’s right hand.
Farah nearly opened the scoring a minute later when his shot from the right hand side of the box nearly squeezed under Warner at his near post, who was expecting a cross rather than a strike from the Azzurri full-back. But Warner was able to recover before the ball crossed the line.
Glory substitute Alfie Knight shot wide in the 53rd minute after Perth SC once again lost possession in midfield, but it was the Azzurri who were the most wasteful in front of goal.
Defender Luca Hirninger’s close range header from Osman’s free kick could only find the hands of Warner, and then Warner did well to keep out two good strikes from Osman and another from Banks.
Knight had a golden opportunity to steal it for Glory in the 78th minute but he fired over the bar from close range after the ball was cut back from the left.
Faichney found himself in another good position 10 minutes from time when a deflected shot from Ninkovich fell to his feet in the box, but his shot was deflected into the arms of Warner.
Azzurri substitute Taylor Phoenix-Wright got onto a cross from Banks a minute later, but his looping header went over the bar.
A good performance from the Azzurri which didn’t result in the maximum points it deserved. Cala was excellent in midfield and Federico Achilli played his best game of the season at centre back.
The boys have now dropped out of the top four and sit in sixth position at the halfway mark of the league season, two points behind fourth-placed Armadale SC.
Perth SC travel to Home Group Stadium on Saturday to take on Balcatta Etna.