A-League Men: Perth Glory speedsters Jaiden Kucharski and Stefan Colakovski’s impact lauded in Auckland win

Perth Glory coach Adam Griffiths may ponder a need for speed after the pace of substitutes Jaiden Kucharski and Stefan Colakovski helped steer his side to a much-needed 2-1 win over Auckland FC. Kucharski deservedly grabbed the headlines after he scored both goals in the comeback win, the second a sumptuous long-range effort in the 90th minute at The Shed end of HBF Park. It snapped a two-game losing streak which looked like it would be extended to three when Auckland led at half-time through Jesse Randall’s excellent solo goal. After Perth struggled to build up from defence in possession in the first half, Griffiths brought on Colakovski at the break and Kucharski 15 minutes later. The result was a heroic comeback against the team who started the round in top spot and three points to Perth which kept the distance between Glory and the top six narrow. Injuries and a lack of availability to a swathe of wide options have seen Griffiths start versatile Trent Ostler and energetic central midfielder Nicholas Pennington in wide midfield roles. But he admitted the jet-heeled Kucharski and Colakovski helped pin back Auckland after he instructed Glory take advantage of a second-half breeze by launching more long balls, which brought about Kucharski’s 75th minute equaliser. “They both have good speed. They’re both good characters — we love characters. The other two (Ostler and Pennington) are doing very well,” Griffiths said. “Nico offers us a lot, especially overloading and he’s also getting good goals. Both of them have delivered really good outputs — but we needed something different.” With free-roaming attacker Sebastian Despotovski an unused substitute and winger Lachie Wales making a brief cameo in his return from a hamstring injury, Griffiths will have plenty to consider ahead of Friday’s trip to Macarthur. Pennington and Ostler are both willing runners and pressers, and the former drifts inside to help add numbers to the midfield — but neither offer the threat of Kucharski and Colakovski (both recently returned from injury) running in behind. “There’s other boys that came on, they haven’t played enough, they’ve been injured for a while, Colakovski is second game back from an injury,” Griffiths said. “They’re going to build their fitness, make the squad more competitive. We’re going to be more dangerous than ever before. “We just need to continue to build that fitness and be smart about it and make sure that every single player knows that if they perform well at training, then they get opportunities.” Auckland boss Steve Corica said former Glory goalkeeper Oli Sail will likely need surgery after he collapsed in agony after taking a goal-kick. In his first game since he played for Perth against AC Milan in July, Sail’s left knee gave way during a regulation kick in the 70th minute mark and Corica said the initial diagnosis was not good. “I thought it was dislocated, but apparently it’s a ruptured tendon. It’s not great to be honest with you. He probably will need an operation on that. We can only wish him all the best and make sure we get the right treatment for him.”