In genuinely torrential conditions, Perth Glory’s 2025/26 pre-season began on a disheartening note, bowing out of the Australia Cup on penalties – 8-7 to Wellington Phoenix – after a 1-1 draw across regular and extra time at Kingsway Reserve.
The match had all the hallmarks of “magic of the cup” chaos, including a 30-minute lightning delay early in extra time, but it was ultimately the weather and wastefulness that defined the evening.
Head Coach David Zdrilic named a relatively experienced lineup, giving debuts to new signings Callum Timmins and ex-Wellington defenders Sam Sutton and Scott Wootton, the latter wearing the captain’s armband. In contrast, Giancarlo Italiano leaned on youth, with his Phoenix side averaging just 22.1 years of age. Japanese imports Hideki Ishige (30) and captain Kazuki Nagasawa (33) carried the bulk of the experience.
Fans were eager to see early signs of stylistic evolution – namely, more goals scored and fewer conceded – but if this was meant to signal a shift, the signs weren’t overly convincing.
Zdrilic deployed a youthful frontline, handing rare starts to Nathaneal Blair and Joel Anasmo, with Trent Ostler and new signing Arion Sulemani rounding out the front four. Blair’s physicality suited the sodden conditions as he created a few chances early on, while Anasmo struggled to impose himself, unable to find space to use his pace and guile.
Wellington took the lead in the 19th minute after Anasmo was dispossessed near the touchline. Ishige and Luke Brooke-Smith combined with a sharp exchange on the edge of the Glory’s box before Brooke-Smith forced a save from Oli Sail. The rebound fell straight to Lukas Kelly-Heald, who reacted quickest to poke the ball home. It was the kind of goal that’s become far too familiar for Glory fans: sloppy defending, a weak save, and players switched off at the decisive moment.
Blair nearly responded in the 33rd minute, pouncing on a mistake from Isaac Hughes during a high press, but fired his shot straight at the keeper, letting Wellington off the hook.
After that, chances were scarce. Scott Wootton came close with a glancing header in the 66th minute, but it wasn’t until the 89th that Adam Taggart bundled the ball home from a corner scramble to force extra time. It wasn’t pretty, but Taggart’s instinctive positioning again made the difference, as it has so often throughout his career.
Wellington almost snatched it in stoppage time, with Luke Supyk’s deflected effort flying just over, and then chaos ensued from the resulting corner. Sail flung himself over the ball amid a sea of flying bodies before the referee finally blew for extra time.
The Phoenix felt aggrieved not to be awarded a penalty early in extra time when Ishige was felled in the box by Kaelan Majekodunmi. Soon after, Taggart tested Joshua Oluwayemi with a decent effort, but another contentious moment followed when Fergus Gillion’s shot struck Ostler’s outstretched arm—again waved away by the referee.
In the 113th minute, the Glory should have sealed it. Brandon O’Neill slipped Josh Risdon down the right, who squared to an unmarked Taggart. But with the goal at his mercy, the striker inexplicably scooped his shot over the bar, an error as baffling as it was emblematic of the game’s conditions.
The penalty shootout followed a similar pattern of drama and missed opportunity. Wellington blinked first, missing their opening spot-kick, and the Glory looked composed throughout. That was until Brandon O’Neill, who had a chance to seal the win, blazed his decisive penalty over the bar, squandering a moment of potential redemption. New signing Brian Kaltak also failed to convert before Lukas Kelly-Heald coolly slotted home, handing Wellington an unlikely and hard-fought win.
While the conditions clearly impacted both teams, the statistics and tactical dynamics quietly told the story of why Perth were unable to turn 64% possession into sustained pressure or decisive moments. The Glory lacked sharpness and incision in possession, struggling to consistently advance into dangerous zones or break through Wellington’s compact block. Their territorial dominance rarely translated into clear-cut opportunities.
Wellington, in contrast, were more efficient and clinical. Despite having far less of the ball, they created better quality chances. The final data underlined this: Phoenix edged the xG battle (2.48 to 2.12), had more touches inside the opposition box (32 to 25), and converted one of their three big chances. The Glory, meanwhile, squandered all three of theirs.
From a tactical standpoint, David Zdrilic’s side appeared rigid and unbalanced, particularly in the first half. The structure in possession lacked dynamism, and there was limited fluidity or rotation ahead of the ball. Fullbacks Sam Sutton and Josh Risdon – arguably the team’s most threatening outlets on the day – were often positioned too deep to consistently impact the final third. Their underutilisation, coupled with a midfield and attack that didn’t progress play with urgency or cohesion, allowed Wellington to sit off comfortably and absorb pressure, as noted by Phil Moss in commentary.
The pressing game was similarly inconsistent. The frontline and midfield often looked eager to engage, but the defensive line appeared hesitant to push up in support, creating disjointed pressure that Wellington played through on occasion.
All in all, while it’s still early days in pre-season and far from panic stations, the signs were more troubling than encouraging. There were flashes of individual quality, but any hopes of a significant leap up the table this season currently feel optimistic at best. Still, there’s plenty of time. More attacking reinforcements and sharper tactical cohesion could yet change the picture.
All images courtesy of Tom McCarthy.
