Jordan Lauton earned a remarkable 3-2 comeback win for Western United at Perth Glory with one of the most spectacular goals in A-League Men history – but was sent off after picking up a second yellow card for his celebration.
As the 90 minutes expired at HBF Park on Friday, Perth were closing in on a 2-1 victory that would have ended their 321-day wait for a home league victory. Jarrod Carluccio’s fine finish in the 66th minute had given the hosts the edge after Adam Taggart’s first-half goal was cancelled out by United’s Matthew Grimaldi.
But one minute into added time, Tate Russell popped up at the back post to poke home the equaliser from a deflected cross – and set the stage for Lauton to etch his name in folklore in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
As the visitors made one last foray forward, Lauton launched himself into the air as Angus Thurgate’s cross trailed just behind his run. The 21-year-old connected with a spectacular bicycle kick that found the bottom corner, made it 3-2 and sparked wild celebrations.
“We spoke before the game, just go right to the end – we’re going to get chances right to the end,” the United coach John Aloisi told Paramount+. “When we went to 2-2 we just felt that we could grab another one – and what a way to score the winner.”
Having already been booked in the 86th minute, Lauton took his shirt off amid the raucous celebrations of what was his first-ever A-League goal, earning a second yellow card that will see him suspended for United’s derby with Melbourne City on Tuesday. Not that Aloisi was too unhappy with the youngster.
“He [Lauton] apologised for taking off his top and getting sent off,” Aloisi said after the game. “I said, ‘when you score goals like that, you probably can take off your top’.”
Now riding a three-game winning run, Aloisi’s side added to what is now a five-way logjam of sides ranked second through sixth on the table sitting on 18 points. The win put them fifth, ahead of Melbourne Victory on goal difference. A-League Men newcomers Auckland FC lead the way with 23 points.
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After what could have been just their second win of the campaign was transformed into their eighth loss, Perth remain second-bottom despite producing one of their better performances of the campaign. But with the defeat marking the side’s sixth-straight loss in Perth this season, the result heaped further pressure on first-year coach David Zdrilic.
“Externally, going by results, pressure is normal,” Zdrilic said. “I think the owners understand what we’re doing and the big transition, probably bigger than what we anticipated.”
