Sydney FC have concluded their pre-season billing with a dominant performance over Perth Glory at Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre.
A brace to new Spanish import Victor Campuzano kick started the comeback from Talay’s team and the victory was sealed with another Mathias Macallister goal off the bench.
Sydney FC 3 (Campuzano 36′, 52′, Macallister 84′) def. Perth Glory (Taggart 33′)
On Tuesday morning, Perth Glory met Sydney FC for the Sky Blues’ last pre-season friendly ahead of the 2025/26 Isuzu UTE A-League season.
In the mild conditions, the visitors started the better however the Sydney defence stood tall with some key blocks and a brilliant save from Gus Hoefsloot as the cut-back fell to Adam Taggart but the Sydney FC number one was sharp off his line to smother the shot.
The first chance in Sky Blue came from the boot of the Peruvian Piero Quispe who combined well with Victor Campuzano however he didn’t connect with his strike and Birighitti was able to hold in the Glory net.
Joe Lolley had a great piece of individual brilliance as he beat multiple Perth defenders and was hacked down on the edge of the box with the resulting free-kick going over and moments later, Al Hassan Toure saw his chance cleared off the line. The number 35 drove into the area and came under challenge, getting a shot away that sneaked under Birighitti but it took the pace off the ball and it was cleared off the line.
With Sydney FC dominating possession and the chances, the visitors scored completely against the run of play. A slack pass at the back released Glory on the counter attack and they dispatched their shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the area to take the lead.
Ufuk Talay’s men weren’t behind for long though as new Spanish striker Victor Campuzano netted his first in Sky Blue. Joe Lolley played a perfectly weighted pass behind the Glory defence and the Spaniard timed his run to perfection, beating the off-side trap and after taking a touch to settle himself, slotted it past the Glory keeper.
Campuzano nearly doubled his tally right before the half time whistle as a Quispe free-kick fell loose in the area and Campuzano attempted a volley into the turf, but unfortunately it didn’t carry pace and Birighitti was able to hold on once more.
Despite a few changes at the interval, Sydney FC restarted the second period with the same intensity and took the lead through Campuzano once more.
A Joel King cross found the Spanish number nine who lost his marker around the penalty spot and he was able to direct his header into the bottom corner for his and the team’s second of the morning.
Rhyan Grant almost made it three with a marauding run down the line. Lolley released him and when the ball rebounded into his path, he opened up onto his left and unfortunately saw his effort blocked.
From a Joe Lolley corner, the skipper had another chance as he directed a header towards goal however that was palmed away by Birighitti and the resulting scramble was unable to be forced over the line.
At the other end, Devenish-Meares was called into action for the first time as he palmed over the crossbar a Nathanial Blair attempt with his top hand.
By this stage of the match, it was becoming a barrage on the Glory net with 20 minutes remaining. Corner after corner was swung in and the Western Australian side were throwing bodies at the ball to block shots and clear headers.
Joe Lolley saw his curling strike from the edge palmed away by the keeper and Abel Walatee also saw one effort blocked.
Lachlan Middleton had a shot blocked and Lolley had another attempt diverted over the top from the Perth defence as Talay’s side pushed on for the third goal of the match.
From a goal kick Harrison Devenish-Meares looked quickly for Mathias Macallister and the teenager should have scored as he attempted a lob over the top of Cameron Cook however it bounced wide of the goal.
Mathias Macallister would find the net as the clock ticked down however for yet another goal in pre-season. Joel King moved down the left side at pace and delivered a low driven cross into the area and the number 22 flicked the ball, akin to Brosque in the semi final at Allianz against Adelaide, and into the bottom corner to seal the victory.
That would be all she wrote for the match as the referee blew full time on the 90 minutes with the attention of Sydney FC now turning to Round One against Adelaide United on Friday 17th of October at Coopers Stadium.
