Late drama as Glory beat COVID hit Western in

RYAN Williams and Jack Clisby have unleashed mesmerising strikes as Perth Glory claimed a thrilling 2-1 win over COVID-hit Western United in A League Men action

Williams opened the scoring in the 14th minute of Saturday night’s match in Perth when his stabbed cross from the byline lobbed over goalkeeper Jamie Young and sneaked in for a goal.

More celebrations erupted in the 52nd minute when Clisby unleashed a spellbinding curling strike from the edge of the box with his non-preferred right boot to make it 2-0.

Former Glory midfielder Neil Kilkenny pulled a goal back for Western in the 83rd minute when his long-range free kick went in untouched, with the goal sparking plenty of late drama.

The defending champions almost equalised in the seventh minute of stoppage time, only for a powerful header to rebound off the woodwork and into the body of Glory goalkeeper Liam Reddy.

Western defender Leo Lacroix was then shown a red card moments later for a foul on Glory substitute Matthew Hatch.

John Aloisi’s men entered the match without Alessandro Diamanti, Ben Garuccio and Tomoki Imai due to COVID.

Aloisi said his side were unlucky not to at least come away with a point.

“They got a goal from a cross that ended up floating in from the wind into the top corner. It’s a freak goal,” Aloisi said.

“Then in the second half, I don’t think I’ve seen Clisby score with his right foot before, but it was a very good finish.

“But we felt we had enough chances to at least get something out of the game.”

Western United, with just four points to show from seven games, dropped to last.

Glory created the better chances in the first half, and it was Williams who opened the scoring with an outrageous effort.

Debate will rage as to whether it was meant to be a pass or a shot, but the end result was all that mattered to Glory’s delirious fans.

Western’s best chance in the first half fell to Lachlan Wales, who was left cursing himself after sending a free header wide of the target in the 41st minute.

The visitors’ frustrations were summed up by Connor Pain, who sent liquid flying everywhere when he kicked a drink bottle in frustration after being subbed off in the 62nd minute.

Kilkenny ensured there would be a nervy finish when his free kick caused confusion and went in untouched.

But the woodwork came to Glory’s rescue in the dying moments of the contest.

The COVID outbreak among the Western United camp is set to be exacerbated with further impacts on the team list.

John Aloisi’s men are on high alert for more COVID-19 cases after Diamanti, Garuccio and Imai out for the match in Perth with the virus.

Further compounding their woes, defender Lacroix will miss next Sunday’s home clash with Western Sydney after his red card.

Lacroix was given his marching orders for what looked like a swinging arm to the head of Hatch, and there’s a chance the automatic one-match penalty could be increased.

Defender Josh Risdon will also miss the Wanderers clash after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season.

Aloisi is hopeful the club can contain its COVID-19 outbreak.

“Our physio has got COVID as well, so he stayed back in Melbourne,” Aloisi said. “We’re hoping there’s not more. It’s just the way it is at the moment.

“It’s frustrating, but it is what it is. We’ll have to deal with the situation.”

Steven Lustica will miss at least two more months with the hamstring injury he suffered before the World Cup break.

But Mali international Tongo Doumbia made a successful cameo off the bench against Glory in his first match since injuring his hamstring in round two.

Aloisi is confident his team can turn their fortunes around.

“Eventually those players will come back. There’s still a lot of football to be played,” he said.

“The football we’re playing is good. There’s things we need to improve on. But the majority of the time we’re dominating.

“Once we get everyone fully fit and back then I’m sure we’ll win a lot of games.”

– BY JUSTIN CHADWICK/ AAP