Perth Glory has continued its nightmare opening to the 2008/09 A-League season, losing to Queensland Roar 0-3 at Perth Oval (Members Equity Stadium). The match was as good as sealed in the first half by the Roar when the visitors went to the break with a 3-0 lead after an opportunistic attack by Charles Miller and Reinaldo saw Queensland claim their third goal of the match in the dying seconds.
But while Roar kicked-off proceedings it was Glory that demanded attention as the team started the match in a ferocious hunt for its first win of the season.
Perth striker Nikita Rukavytsya broke free on a dangerous looking attack which resulted in a couple of corners for Perth. But a header from Dadi on the second was stopped by Queensland keeper Liam Reddy.
The only threatening Queensland attack in the opening 10 minutes was quickly dissolved by Petkovic as he made a confident take. A chance for Perth saw Dadi draw a penalty just outside the 18-yard box which Amaral took in the 12th minute. But the Brazilian could not convert and sent the shot wide to the left.
Queensland was quick to respond and in the 14th minute, visiting captain Craig Moore slotted the opening goal against the run-of-the-game.
The score resulted from a set-kick outside the penalty box after Amaral appeared to lose his footing and caused a foul. A ricocheting ball found Moore in space who placed a slow grubber in to the bottom left corner.
A déjà vu situation a few minutes later saw Glory's injury replacement Stuart McLaren cause a set-shot just outside the penalty box. But this time Glory keeper Jason Petkovic had the attackers' measure.
The Glory's weakened defence looked to be shaken from the earlier Moore goal and Queensland took control of the match. In the 23rd minute Matthew McKay slipped passed the defence of McLaren to grubber another shot past Petkovic, this time in the bottom right corner.
Instilled with a new-found confidence, Queensland continued to create opportunities and an accurate strike just outside the penalty box by Seo almost saw the Roar take an early 0-3 lead. But the quick reactions of a diving Petkovic allowed the keeper to make the save.
The match took on a sense of urgency with Perth Glory looking for the momentum-breaker and Queensland Roar looking to seal the win early. An over-zealous attack on Rukavytsya on the western wing saw visiting midfielder Andrew Packer claim a yellow card in the 25th minute. Not to be outdone,
Glory's Dadi collected his own colour for overstepping a mark two minutes later.
In troubling signs for Perth, Dadi looked shaky in front of goal, electing to pass off and not strike on many attacks.
Topor-Stanley also was not at his 07/08 Most Glorious Player best and at times looked lethargic, choosing not to challenge contested balls and not running the line as he has in previous seasons.
In one of few positive performances for the home side, Amaral showed the field what happens when a player chooses to keep their feet instead of going to ground. The Brazilian was dispossessed in the centre of the pitch but refused to give up and retook control.
And while the resulting attack did not put Glory on the board, the effort was inspirational.
Glory looked set to end the first half two goals down, but in an event similar to the round two match against Newcastle, Queensland's Charles Miller and Reinaldo built an attack in the dying seconds to shatter Glory's hopes of a comeback.
Miller streaked down the eastern wing before moving the ball forward to a waiting Reinaldo and in a one-two play Miller slipped past Perth captain Jamie Coyne and let go a strike from just inside the penalty box to move the score to 0-3.
The second half was uneventful as Perth looked deflated from the kick-off and the Roar were content to sit on a three goal lead.
Home side defender David Tarka brandished the captain's armband after Coyne's efforts in the closing minutes of the first half earned him a rest.
Glory wasted an opportunity for an unlikely comeback in the 54th minute when Topor-Stanley misdirected a header from Amaral.
The Brazilian showed his frustration as he received a yellow-card for a challenge on McKay minutes later.
Queensland seemed on top of the Glory defence which at times was sparse. Roar striker Serginho Van Dijk strolled into an attacking position and looped a shot over a closing Petkovic but sent it wide to the right.
He followed up with what should have been a certain goal a minute later when Massimo Murdocca crossed but Van Dijk hit the woodwork, allowing the rattled Perth defence to clear.
In what was fast-becoming the only entertainment of the match, another yellow card was handed out, this time to Glory's James Robinson for a sliding tackle on Miller.
The Queensland midfielder threatened to hurt the home side where it counted and mounted a threatening attack with Murdocca in the 63rd minute.
But a courageous dive by Petkovic saw the Perth keeper pluck the cross out of the air before colliding with teammate Adriano Pellegrino. Both men hit the turf for a couple of minutes before play resumed.
The sun might have started to shine but the rain clouds held their position over Glory when Amaral fell to the ground clutching his leg in the 71st minute.
A stretcher and three substitutions meant Perth had to finish off proceedings one man down.
At the post-match press conference, Glory coach Dave Mitchell said the injury looks to be a hamstring and said the star play-maker could miss up to six weeks.
As fans started streaming out of the stadium with about 15 minutes left to play, Perth caretaker-captain Tarka picked up a yellow card for a hard challenge on Murdocca. The tackle flawed the Queenslander on the western wing and threatened to see the stretcher brought out for the second time.
Murdocca and Zullo combined as the match entered into three minutes injury time. Murdocca found Zullo at the top of the 6-yard box but Zullo again came up short with what should have been a sure-goal, sending the ball over the crossbar.
As referee Ben Williams blew the final whistle, boos went around the crowd and fans seemed to turn on their team after another disappointing showing at home.