Adelaide United v Perth Glory – Saturday 16 September 2006
This season we will be looking ahead to the Reds’ Hyundai A-League matches by rolling back the clock and revisiting some of the clubs most memorable clashes against our upcoming opponents.
In this week’s edition, we return to Round 4 of the 2006/07 season against Perth Glory at Coopers Stadium. After thrashing Newcastle Jets 5-1 eight days earlier, United were in high spirits going into the match; Glory were coming from a 1-1 draw with reigning champions Sydney FC.
With both teams in respectable form early in the season, the stage was set for a close encounter, but after just 14 minutes, fan-favourite Fernando Rech found the back of the net with a sweet-volley.
Utilising the width of Coopers, Untied spread the ball to former captain Travis Dodd on the right side of midfield. Dodd with composure and time on the ball whipped in a cross to the back post, which was met by local youngster Jason Spagnuolo who calmly headed down for Rech to convert.
20 minutes later it was 2-0 – this time through a Travis Dodd wonder-strike.
As Glory searched for an equaliser, they sat off momentarily and allowed the Reds time to knock the ball around in midfield, which eventually found its way to the feet of Dodd.
Dodd, who didn’t need a second invitation to try his luck from distance, set the ball in front of him from 22-yards out and rifled his shot beyond Perth goalkeeper Aleksandar Vrteski.
And in the 50th minute the win was sealed for United after a great counterattacking move allowed a shot to be taken by Rech, which was deflected off Glory defender Jamie Coyne and into the back of his own net.
After a poor run of results at the end of the season saw Perth not win any of their last seven league fixtures, they would end up finishing second-to-last and one point ahead of former A-League side New Zealand Knights.
United on the other hand finished second domestically – 12 points behind eventual champions Melbourne Victory – and would make it to the Grand Final, but lost very convincingly to Victory, 6-0 at the Telstra Dome.
Match Details
Saturday, 16 September 2006
Hyundai A-League 2006/07 Season – Round 4
Adelaide United FC 3 (Rech 14’, Dodd 34’, Coyne (OG) 50’)
Perth Glory 0
Venue: Hindmarsh Stadium
Crowd: 11,474
