If you can get your hands on this game or view a replay, do it as this 3-3 draw was the most entertaining A-League game I have ever seen. It was really all about the foreigners who all played a significant part in the goals and the game overall. There is often a lot of criticism about the incompetence of past imports but the early signs are definitely good for the batch on display tonight.
For Perth, they are really top heavy in terms of talent. The 35 year olds, Eugene Dadi (who is a real Clarence Seedorf look alike) and Amaral were instrumental and combined for Glory’s second goal. An excellent volleyed cross from Amaral at full stretch as met with a bullet-like header by Dadi. In general play, Amaral was all over the park in his free-role and really looks at fit as anyone. His technique isn’t as fluent and aesthetically pleasing as Juninho but he certainly has a big engine and seems quite able to endure the rough and tumbles of the A-League. As for Dadi, he has great technical ability and strength and excels at holding up the ball and bringing others into the play.
Glory’s other import, Argentinean Adrian Trinidad, was very lively in the first half, winning and converting the penalty for Perth’s equaliser. He was a bit quieter in the second but it was his through ball that Rukavytsya ran onto to put Perth 3-2 in front. Nikita did what he struggled to do during the Olympics with an excellent finish into Covic’s near-post after his blinding pace took him clear of Adam Griffiths.
As I said, Perth’s talent is really top heavy. They lack a defensive midfielder to build the play and often resorted to long balls for Dadi (who was able to win a lot of these). It was better than last season but it seems that a defensive midfielder is the jigsaw piece that is missing. As for the defence, it was really shambolic for all three goals. Joel Griffiths was fouled outside the box and the penalty shouldn’t have been given but Topor-Stanley was caught much too high up the park and very square. Djulbic’s challenge was never going to win the ball and wasn’t needed given that Griffiths was going wide anyway. The second resulted from slack marking with Griffiths and Song both having too much time in the box before the shot from the Korean was deflected in by Coyne. The third was just embarrassing with Harnwell and Djulbic both going for the header. Somehow the ball was flicked on by one of these two before North muscled Coyne off the ball and literally scored with the last kick of the game.
As for the defending champions, Song showed once again why he might be the best player that this league as seem. His technical ability is outstanding and he links up well with Joel Griffiths in particular. Zura had some good moments without being spectacular. Like Dadi, he has a huge physical presence and it is very hard to win the ball off him. At the moment, he just isn’t on the same wavelength as his teammates but this will come with time.
Newcastle showed that they are really missing Musialik and Durante. On too many occasions, Perth players had free headers inside the Newcastle box while Adam Griffiths was left on the ground when Dadi headed in Perth’s second equaliser. There wasn’t much Griffiths could do about Rukavytsya’s goal as few defenders in the league would be able to keep up with the Olyroo striker. And it was Griffiths who fouled Trindad for the penalty although the decision was dubious. They are missing Musialik as that vital clog and first-option out of defence. They are playing more long balls then last year as Wheelhouse just doesn’t have the same presence and demand for the ball. I think Holland could fill in this role although he is only 19. I’m not sure if they have someone that can replace Musialik and given that now have Zura’s presence up front, I wasn’t too surprised to see the Jets playing quite a few long balls.
