After possibly their best performance so far this season, Perth Glory left pointless after Adelaide United's marquee signing Shengqing scored with just his 2nd touch in front of 8,052 fans at the MES tonight.
Glory coach Steve McMahon made 2 changes to his normal starting line-up, with Sekulovski coming in for the injured Caceres and Ishida replacing the dropped McMahon Jnr.
The Glory side appeared more balanced in midfield with these changes and were in charge for most of the game.
However failure to take their chances came back to haunt them in the end as the top of the table visitors grabbed 2 goals from very limited opportunities.
This win leaves Glory 6 points adrift the leaders and will give Adelaide great confidence for next weeks match against Central Coast Mariners.
For Glory it will mean added significance for the longest road trip in Domestic Football in the World as they head off to New Zealand to tackle the Knights.
It all started so brightly for Glory with the team finding space down both flanks with both Ishida and Sekulovski playing wide.
In just the 8th minute a great Ishida cross found the head of Despotovski but he headed over the bar.
Just 5 minutes later it was the little man himself Ishida who linked up with Deane and who fired a find shot low and hard , for it to be brilliantly saved by Beltrame in the United goal.
United's first chance came in the 18th minute from a corner on the right that was met with the head by Valkanis, only for it to be blocked by Petkovic and cleared by Deane.
The united defence was breeched for the first time this season in the 21st minute, when a long ball by Kovacevic was chased down by Despotovski, however, Beltrame arrived first and his attempted rash clearance rebounded off his own defender in Valkanis, and finished up rolling into the back of the net for the lead goal to Glory.
The lead only lasted 11 minutes though when a loose ball on the edge of the Glory penalty area fell to Aloisi who connected sweetly with a volley and sent the ball into the back of the Glory net. Once more this season Petkovic found himself picking the ball out of the net following a shot from outside the area.
Ishida tried to restore the Glory lead in the 36th minute when following a fine run down the right he fired a shot just inches past the post with Beltrame beaten.
The visitors were to have the last chance of the first half, when following another corner it was Veart this time whose header was cleared off the line, on this occasion it was Celeski doing the defending.
Despotovski came close in the 47th minute with a free kick from 20 metres that was well saved by Beltrame, and the striker should have given Glory the lead just 1 minute later, when he received a great ball from Colosimo and twisted and turned his way into a scoring position on the edge of the box, before firing over the bar.
Straight away the ball went to the other end of the pitch with a quick transfer and Dodd fired in a shot that was tipped away by Petkovic.
Just on the hour came Glory's best 2nd half chance as following a corner Colosimo fired in a hard cross that was met at the far post by Despotovski who somehow managed to head it over the bar when it looked easier to score.
That miss was to prove fatal just 5 minutes later when Adelaide's substitute and marquee player Shengqing collected a great pass from Aloisi on the edge of the area before completely wrong footing Harnwell and scoring into the bottom left corner with yet another shot to beat Petkovic from outside the area.
Within a minute Glory could have been level with Despotovski once more put clear but this time Beltrame made a splendid save to once more thwart the Glory striker.
Beltrame was only to have one further act to play in this game as just a minute later he was red carded for running at and pushing Miller to the ground outside his box. His dismissal meant that United had to shuffle their side, taking off Brain in order for Bajic to go into goals.
However even with the extra player Glory could not make any further inroads or indeed clear cut chances in the final 23 minutes and Adelaide comfortably held out for a win that may just have been a bit harsh on the home side. But Glory last week got the points against Roar in a game they did not deserve to win, so in some respects this was perhaps a pay back.
After the match Glory coach McMahon expressed disappointment with the result although he did state he was happier with the performance. Adelaide coach Kosmina said he was delighted with the result and that his team never give up, and he has great confidence in the entire squad.