The Perth Glory extended their unbeaten streak on the road with a 2-2 draw against the Macarthur Bulls on Sunday afternoon.
Despite missing star striker, Adam Taggart, the Glory maintained their impressive seven-game run of scoring two or more goals per match. Sidelined due to injury, the 30-year-old was replaced by Luke Ivanovic, who was undoubtedly eager to make an impression on head coach Alen Stajcic.
Macarthur seemed more alert at the start of the game and rightfully took the lead with Ulises Dávila’s close-range chip. The Glory’s defensive lapses allowed Dávila to arrive into the box unchecked, securing a simple yet quality finish.
The defensive organisation has been the Achilles’ heel for the Glory this season, with questions arising about Giordano Colli and Riley Warland’s decision-making leading up to the goal.
Despite several opportunities, the Glory couldn’t find the net in the first half. The second half, however, showcased a different performance with increased urgency and pressure on Macarthur.
In the 57th minute, Luke Ivanovic had a promising chance to equalise, but his effort went wide. Eventually, the breakthrough came when Johnny Koutroumbis was tripped by Kearyn Baccus in the box, leading to an equalizer via a penalty strike from captain Mustafa Amini.
The Glory’s momentum continued, as Daniel Bennie had a great chance that was comfortably saved by Macarthur’s goalkeeper, Filip Kutro. However, Macarthur regained the lead in the 82nd minute with a penalty scored by Valère Germain, awarded after a foul by Aleksandar Šušnjar.
Despite the setback, the Glory never stopped fighting. In the 93rd minute, super-sub David Williams equalised with a powerful shot across the goal.
While it felt like dropping two points, this result was decent considering the challenges that come with securing away victories for the Glory. The Glory’s offensive prominence going forward is a big positive as finding the goals without Adam Taggart was difficult earlier this season.
The next challenge for the Glory is a Friday night showdown against Melbourne City who enter the game following a crucial home win against Adelaide United. It promises to be a significant test for Alen Stajcic’s side, but there is no doubt the players will fight until the final whistle.
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