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Wednesday, 10 February 2010

Australia News Roar Too Good For Poor Glory

QUEENSLAND Roar added to their impressive record at Members Equity Stadium as they strolled to an easy 3-0 victory over Perth Glory on Sunday afternoon.

On a dark day for Perth, Queensland produced some exhilarating counter-attacking football during the first half, scoring three goals through skipper Craig Moore, Matt McKay and former Rangers man Charlie Miller on the stroke of half-time.

And, although Glory managed to hold Queensland at bay during the second half, the afternoon just got worse for coach Dave Mitchell when instrumental Brazilian playmaker Amaral was stretchered from the field with a hamstring injury, leaving the club with just 10 men for the last 17 minutes as the club had used all three substitutions to that point.

For Roar, veteran trio Moore, Danny Tiatto and Miller produced impressive performances, distributing the ball with ease and closing down Perth's attacks as the Roar climbed into fifth position on the Hyundai A-League standings, leaving the Glory propping up the table.

Glory began with confidence, however, and dominated the opening stages, maintaining possession and creating several half-chances after earning two corners within the opening minute.

The best opportunity fell to Amaral who blasted a 25-metre free kick to the left after Eugene Dadi was fouled in a good position.

But all the hosts' good work was undone in the 14th minute as the club's defensive frailties were shown up once more through Queensland skipper Moore.

Amaral had conceded a free kick twenty metres out on the left and when Queensland took it quickly, Perth's unprepared defence was at sixes and sevens as the Roar worked the ball in behind the back four with McKay's cross falling fortuitously to Moore who buried a low shot through a crowded penalty area.

Glory responded immediately as Adrian Trinidad sent a powerful header over the bar, but the defence certainly hadn't learned its lesson as Massimo Murdocca soon found space on the left once again, firing in a powerful cross that Jason Petkovic did well to save.

The turning point of the encounter occurred in the 23rd minute however as Perth skipper Jamie Coyne pushed the ball forward to Dadi in the area. The striker appeared to have been bundled over in the box by Moore but was not given the penalty and Queensland took full advantage of the let-off.

Roar broke rapidly, exposing the Glory's defence as Sergiho van Dijk found McKay twenty metres out, the midfielder shrugging off his marker and burying another low finish.

Two minutes later, Petkovic did brilliantly to deny a cracking effort from Hyuk-Su Seo, the veteran stopper diving to his left to palm the ball around the post before Trinidad almost pulled one back through an audacious overhead attempt that was about as good as it got for the hosts for the remainder of the half.

On several occasions, Glory's strike force took the ball in good positions, but both Dadi and Nikita Rukavytsya were reluctant to pull the trigger and chances went begging, while, at other times, Perth's forwards were too condensed allowing Queensland's solid defence to pick off crosses with ease.

And, on the stroke of half-time it just got worse for the hosts as Miller extended the advantage even further. After a promising build-up by Perth, the Roar produced another lethal counter-attack during injury time as Reinaldo burned off Coyne before crossing to an unmarked Miller, whose run through the middle wasn't checked, with the former Rangers man making it 3-0 at the change.

Six minutes after the re-start,Glory almost pulled one back after Scott Bullock's lofted cross towards Nikolai Topor-Stanley at the far post was cleared by Seo.

But the hosts had another let off just before the hour when van Dijk's close-range effort struck the crossbar after a good interchange of passes between Miller and Murdocca.

And, when Amaral went down with a hamstring injury in the 73rd minute after taking possession on his own, the Glory were forced to hold on until the death with just 10 men.

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