Perth Glory has moved to the top of the National Youth League with a 2-1 win over Brisbane Roar at Clipsal Stadium in hot conditions on Sunday morning.
Andrija Jukic scored the opening goal of the contest midway through the first half after he had come on as a substitute and then Branko Jelic put in a wonder strike from a freekick just outside the penalty area for the second.
Tim Smits got one back for the Roar in the 81st minute, but the Glory held on for the 2-1 victory.
The Glory now have 12 wins and four draws from 22 matches this season to move ahead of both Central Coast and Adelaide, but they have played one more match than the Reds and two more than the Mariners.
The Roar remains in eighth position with 19 points from 22 games. They are nine points ahead of the AIS, but two adrift of the Newcastle Jets.
The Glory were forced into an early substitution when Cameron Edwards suffered a leg injury and he was replaced by the exciting Jukic.
Perth dominated from the outset, though, with Jelic creating the first good chance on goal early on but he was just wide. Brent Griffiths then had a gettable opportunity with a header from a cross, but it hit the post and somehow bounced back to Roar ‘keeper Matthew Acton.
Josh Risdon then had a good shot saved by Acton, but Jukic finally helped the Glory capitalise on their dominance with a goal in the 29th minute. He found himself in space in the box and had no trouble slotting it past Acton.
Both teams tired in the heat as the second half went on, but kept creating chances and the Glory was rewarded with a freekick in the 79th minute.
Jelic took it from just outside the box and struck it wonderfully to put it right in the back of the net past the keeper’s left hand.
Just two minutes minutes later the Roar responded when Smits put on a good move to beat the Glory defence and ‘keeper Aleks Vrteski to dribble a goal into the net.
The Glory takes on Adelaide United next Sunday at Hindmarsh Stadium while the Roar hosts Gold Coast United on Friday night at Spencer Park.
Perth Glory 2 (Jukic 29, Jelic 79)
Brisbane Roar 1 (Smits 81)
