Adelaide United have succumbed to a 3-0 loss to Perth Glory at HBF Park on Saturday night.
First-half goals from Joel Chianese and Bruno Fornaroli had the hosts in a commanding position before Chris Ikonomidis added a third off the bench to consign the Reds to a fourth successive defeat.
Gertjan Verbeek made one enforced change to his starting line-up with Ryan Kitto receiving his first start since Round 5 with James Troisi ruled out with a hamstring strain. His inclusion at left-back forced a reshuffle with Michaël Maria moving into midfield.
Adelaide dominated the opening exchanges and bossed the Glory before conceding.
The Reds pressed the hosts and had them on the back foot as they controlled possession in their half and got in behind the Perth defence a couple of times.
However, the visitors failed to muster any genuine chances other than George Blackwood putting wide a first-time attempt from Maria’s low cross.
Claims for a penalty were also waved away when a corner deflected off Fornaroli’s arm.
And after Adelaide failed to capitalise, Perth responded completely against the run of play.
Diego Castro spotted Chianese, who turned his marker on the edge of the box and clinically finished beyond Izzo on 25 minutes.
Appeals for a second penalty for handball was also refuted, despite replays showing the ball touched Ivan Franjic while on the ground inside the box.
And in the 44th minute, Perth doubled their advantage courtesy of a long-range effort from Fornaroli which took a deflection.
Verbeek tweaked his tactics at the interval, summoning Nathan Konstandopoulos at the expense of Kitto, with Maria dropping to left-back.
Chianese went inches away from netting a brace when his one-on-one effort trickled wide of the post, while at the other end Riley McGree squandered his follow-up from Nikola Mileusnic’s saved shot.
But the game was officially put to bed when Ikonomidis made it 3-0 on 68 minutes.
The substitute used his body to evade the attentions of Maria and with Izzo rushing out to collect, the ball ricocheted off the Perth winger before managing to score with aplomb.
Adelaide toiled and looked to get a consolation but they were unable to etch their name on the scoresheet for the first time this season.
Key moments:
25’ | GOAL: Castro threads a pass to Chianese who turns Kitto and keeps his composure to slide his finish home.
44’ | GOAL: Castro notches his second assist of the game, feeding Fornaroli, whose shot from distance takes a fortuitous deflection off Jakobsen to beat Izzo.
68’ | GOAL: Ikonomidis out muscles Maria and after initially colliding with Izzo, chases the loose ball and slides his finish under the goalkeeper into an empty net.
Match details:
Saturday, 11 January 2020
Hyundai A-League 2019/20 Season – Round 14
Perth Glory 3 (Chianese 25’ Fornaroli 44’ Ikonomidis 68’)
Adelaide United 0
Venue: HBF Park
