PERTH, Australia (Interstat) — Substitute Abel Walatee scored an early goal to lift Sydney to a 1-0 victory over Perth Glory in an A-League match Saturday at HBF Park.

Walatee found the net in the fifth minute, assisted by Tom Lawrence. The solitary goal held as Sydney opened its season with a win despite being projected for a higher scoreline. Interstat’s game simulator had predicted a 2-1 Sydney victory, and its ELO system gave Sydney a 78.5% probability to win.

Sydney’s Lawrence, along with substitutes Harrison Devenish-Meares and Rhyan Grant, each received yellow cards in the second half. The result gives Sydney a 1-0 start to its A-League campaign, while Perth Glory begins 0-1.