Sydney shock Glory, Victory win derby
Perth Glory saw their advantage at the top of the Australian A-League cut to one point after the stuttering leaders slumped to a 3-1 home defeat to Sydney FC in a match which saw three players sent off. Sydney were leading through Marc Janko's 30th-minute penalty when the referee brandished his first red cards, sending off Perth defender Dino Djulbic and his Sydney counterpart Jacques Faty following a melee in the 36th minute.
Sydney doubled their lead in the 69th minute following another penalty, Milos Dimitrijevic slotting home on that occasion, but the visitors were then reduced to nine men moments later when Nikola Petkovic was given his marching orders for a needless handball.
That gave Perth a glimmer of hope and they pulled a goal back almost immediately when the sliding Denis Kramar turned home the rebound following a blocked Michael Thwaite header. Perth pushed hard for the equaliser, but it was Sydney who sealed the win in the 89th minute when Bernie Ibini-Isei netted.
The result means Perth have now taken just one point from their last three league games and allowed second-placed Melbourne Victory to further close the gap on the pacesetters with a 3-0 win over rivals Melbourne City.
Victory let a late 3-1 lead against Perth slip last time out, but there was no denying them this time as goals from Besart Berisha, Kosta Barbarouses and Fahid Ben Khalfallah earned them derby honours. Victory are now three points ahead of third-placed Adelaide United, who lost 2-1 at Central Coast Mariners in Saturday's other match.
Adelaide were on course for the win thanks to Awer Mabil's 29th-minute strike but two goals in the final 11 minutes from Nicholas Fitzgerald and Joshua Rose saw the Mariners turn the match upside down.