Sydney FC have won a tense encounter 1-0 encounter against Wellington Phoenix at Allianz Stadium thanks to a late Jynaya Dos Santos header.
The visitor’s stubborn defence kept the home team at arms length throughout the game but they finally succuumed to the solitary goal from the 18 year old second half substitute.
Sydney FC 1 (Jynaya Dos Santos 77’) def. Wellington Phoenix 0
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
20’ – AIDEEN KEANE SHOOT CLEARED OFF THE LINE – a mighty scramble sees Aideen Keane’s shoot cleared off the line in the opening minutes.
32’ – IBINI LONG RANGE DRIVE – a quick counter sees the ball fall to Princess Ibini in the midfield, who decides to test Brianna Edwards who off her line but it only flies over the over.
77’ – CORTNEE VINES FAILS TO CONVERT – Taylor Ray long ball finds Cortnee Vine in open space who rounds Edwards in goal but finds the side net.
77’ – JYNAYA SANTOS BURIES BULLET HEADER – Dos Santos finds the young Sydney FC player unmarked who buried the ball in the visiting team’s goal.
88’ – MARIANA SPECKMAIER – the ball found Speckmaier in open space in the Sydney FC box however her header flew over the goal.
What They Said: Sydney FC Head Coach, Ante Juric: “I’d rather be attacking well and not scoring than not having any chances.
“That is something we need to work on. In the last couple of weeks, we have dominated teams and just not scored.
“In time it will happen, and it could be down to fatigue or connection because we got nine new players.
So we are trying to find that connection but I am not overly disappointed because I love the way we play this year.
“We have dominated and we’re relentless going forward so am happy in that sense.”
Match Report: Sydney FC won a tense encounter 1-0 against Wellington Phoenix at Allianz Stadium in the Liberty A-League under humid conditions.
The game was an open encounter between the two teams with the Sky Blues peppering Wellington Phoenix’s goal with shots that amounted to 13 in total in the first half without converting.
Aideen Keane had the opportunity to give the Sky Blues a lead in the 20th minute, but her shot was cleared off the line.
Princess Ibini was next to test Brianna Edwards in the Wellington Phoenix goal in the 32nd minute after the Sky Blues caught the visitors on a quick counter but her brilliant shot from halfway only managed to sail past the goal.
Ante Juric changed things midway through the second half by bringing on Taylor Ray for Zara Kruger and Jynaya Dos Santos, who later impacted the game, for Keane.
In the 77th minute, Taylor Ray received the ball in the midfield, turned and quickly found Cortnee Vine who had space in behind Wellington Phoenix defensive line where she subsequently rounded the goalkeeper but failed to convert.
The Sky Blues were rewarded when Ray swung the ball in the opposition box in the 78th minute and found substitute Jynaya Dos Santos unmarked in the box who buried a bullet header to make it 1-0.
Late on Jada Whyman pulled off a number of wonderful saves to keep the Sky Blues in the lead, however Wellington had one last opportunity fall to Mariana Speckmaier in the 88th minute but she put her free header over the bar.
Sydney FC: 1. Jada Whyman, 3. Charlotte Mclean, 4. Tori Tumeth, 5. Kristy Fenton, 11. Cortnee Vine (Indiana Dos Santo 90’+3′), 13. Aideen Keane (17. Jynaya Dos Santos 72′), 15. Mackenzie Hawkesby, 16. Jordan Thompson, 19. Zara Kruger (18. Taylor Ray 55′), 20. Princess Ibini-Isei, 21. Shay Hollman
Unused subs: 2. Margaux Chauvet, 30. Tahlia Franco
Yellow Cards: Jordan Thompson (22’), Kirsty Fenton (55’), Tori Tumeth (90’)
Red Cards: None
Wellington Phoenix: 12. Brianna Edwards, 3. Kate Taylor, 4. Mackenzie Barry, 6. Macey Fraser, 11. Hope Breslin (7. Isabel Cox 46′), 13. Michaela Foster, 16. Annalie Longo, 17. Mariana Speckmaier, 18. Hailey Davidson (2. Zoe McMeeken 68′), 20. Emma Main (21. Manaia Elliott 62′), 23. Rebecca Lake (10. Alyssa Whinham 88′)
Unused subs: 22. Aimee Feinberg-Danieli
Yellow Cards: 20. Emma Main (52’), Manaia Poppy Elliot (90’)
Red Cards: None
Venue: Allianz Stadium
Referee: Bec Mackie
