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Perth Glory scored two second-half goals to overturn Adelaide's halftime lead and win 2-1 in their A-League clash in Adelaide.
A dominant Perth Glory were forced to come from a goal down to snatch a 2-1 win over Adelaide United in their A-League clash at Coopers Stadium on Friday night.
After Adelaide broke the deadlock in the first half, the Glory turned in a strong second-half performance, netting the winner in the 83rd minute when substitute Daniel Stynes' shot took a deflection which wrong-footed goalkeeper James Delianov.
Perth coach Richie Garcia praised his side's determination to respond to their first half setback.
"I definitely think in the second half we got to grips with what we were doing," he said.
"The character and the willingness to get in front and get back in the game was notable from our players."
Perth looked the livelier of the two sides in the opening quarter hour with Andy Keogh, Bruno Fornaroli and Diego Castro finding plenty of the ball and space and causing the Reds defence concern.
Adelaide eventually worked their way into the contest and broke the deadlock with their first real chance on 20 minutes.
Ben Halloran nodded down a long ball out of defence to Stefan Mauk who played a return ball to the winger.
Halloran raced towards the box, outpacing his opponent, before supplying the perfect cutback to Mauk who slotted the ball past goalkeeper Tando Velaphi.
Perth's attackers continued to find time and space between the lines and Keogh went close on the half hour, springing United's defence but his shot was parried away by Delianov.
A couple minutes later Fornaroli picked up a loose ball in the front third and drove towards the area before firing a shot just over the bar.
Halloran could have doubled United's lead on the stroke of halftime, when he dispossessed Darry Lachman and sprinted towards goal but he pushed his shot wide with just Velaphi to beat.
The Glory upped the pressure in the second half in search of an equaliser and controlled much of the play following the restart.
Nicholas Sullivan stormed down the right side and forced a save from Delianov when his cross flew goalbound.
Carlo Armiento also called the Reds keeper into action, shooting low and hard after the Reds failed to clear a corner.
Perth were eventually rewarded with an equaliser after a neat exchange out wide allowed Neil Kilkenny to dart through the area and square a pass for Fornaroli whose deft touch turned the ball past Delianov.
The goal gave the visitors confidence and Kilkenny and Castro continued to boss Adelaide's midfield and it was the latter who was involved in setting up Perth's winner.
Adelaide again failed to clear a corner and Castro was found loose inside the area. The Spaniard's ball across the penalty area caused confusion before it fell to Stynes. His shot took a deflection off defender George Timotheou which wrong-footed the Reds keeper.
Adelaide coach Carl Veart felt the Glory earned their win.
"I think Perth were the better side," Veart said. "They worked hard for their win and I suppose in the end they deserved it."
