Sydney FC moved up to fifth in the A-League Men on Saturday, returning to home turf with a 2-1 win over Adelaide United.
Sydney FC 2 (Mak 27’, Fabio (pen) 84’) def. Adelaide United 1 (Lopez 90’)
Moments That Mattered
27’ – MAK GOAL – Sydney capitalise on a loose Adelaide pass as Caceres advances to play in Mak, who makes no mistake with a neat finish.
61’ – FABIO DISALLOWED GOAL – Fabio taps home from a seemingly onside position – the assistant’s flag stays down, but the referee chalks off the goal.
84’ – FABIO GOAL – Lolley is tripped inside the area and the referee points to the spot – Fabio makes no mistake in adding the second.
90’ – LOPEZ GOAL – Adelaide pull one back in injury time, as Lopez’s header finds the net from Ayoubi’s corner.
What They Said: Ufuk Talay: “I thought it was a good performance. I thought Adelaide worked very hard as well and came with a good game plan to try and play through us, but the young boys at the back dealt with it quite well.
“We should maybe have capitalised more on those opportunities to kill the game in the first half, and it was disappointing to concede late on from a set-piece, but we stretched it out.
“I do have empathy and sympathy for the players with the intensity of the way we want to press – but not during the game. Players go as far as they can and then we bring fresh legs on – that’s our identity as the way we want to play as Sydney FC.”
Match Report: Sydney FC continued their unbeaten run on Saturday night, securing a 2-1 win over Adelaide United at the Allianz Stadium.
Robert Mak’s opener was added to by Fabio Gomes’ penalty – the two goals enough for the three points despite Javi Lopez’s late consolation.
Ufuk Talay slotted Mak back into the starting XI in place of Pat Wood, whilst Gabriel Lacerda returned to the matchday squad and Andrew Redmayne became the fifth-highest appearance maker for the Sky Blues’ men’s team.
The first home game for Sydney in four weeks started with a chance apiece, as Jordan Courtney-Perkins stroked wide from Joe Lolley’s pass, before Hiroshi Ibusuki – hat-trick scorer in the Allianz last month – was denied by Redmayne from distance as he looked to catch the ‘keeper off his line.
Looking to get space in the wide areas, pressure continued from the hosts as Lolley tested James Delianov in the Adelaide net, before early enforced substitute Harry van der Saag worked a sight of goal from 20 yards but saw his shot deflect wide off the heel of Hayden Matthews.
And cue, the opener. With Talay’s team taking pride in winning possession in areas high upfield, this opportunity was helped out by United’s own making, as a wayward pass was pounced on by Anthony Caceres.
Marauding into the final third, the midfielder played in Mak on the right side of the area, the returning Slovakian making no mistake in rolling home his goal.
An even 45 which potentially tilted Sydney’s way in terms of chances, the visitors still occasionally threatened, Redmayne with a double intervention to clear two potentially dangerous balls. Injury time then saw Stefan Mauk pass up Adelaide’s best shout of the first half, firing wide after latching onto a great ball in behind.
In front of The Cove at the other end, Lolley arrowed just over, and Fabio was just unable to capitalise on two opportunities – the first of which coming from a scintillating outside-boot pass from Caceres.
Jake Girdwood-Reich was denied by the upright and a block on the goal-line in quick succession, as the interval arrived with a slender Sydney advantage.
The second half witnessed fewer attempts at goal, but did see Adelaide endure a scary spell on 55 minutes in which Delianov had to twice intervene to keep the score at 1-0.
Most notably, the goalkeeper did well to deny Corey Hollman, whose tidy one-two with Fabio sent him through on goal.
The Brazilian marksman then tapped home what he and his side thought to be a second, but for the referee to seemingly overrule his assistant in chalking off the goal for an alleged offside call.
Changes were made early in the half to reinforce control of the contest, Jaiden Kucharski and Max Burgess introduced.
And Kucharski was a lick of paint away from doubling the lead, firing low from the edge of the box and striking the outside of the post.
With six minutes remaining, the die was finally cast on the three points as Lolley weaved inside his man and was tripped inside the area, the referee quickly awarding a penalty kick.
And up stepped Fabio – he was not to be denied his name on the scoresheet this time – as he calmly tucked away his shot for 2-0.
Adelaide sought a late response and committed numbers forward, and could have reignited the final minutes but for Girdwood-Reich, whose last-ditch challenge thwarted Austin Ayoubi.
The visitors did scupper the clean sheet in the dying seconds, Lopez pulling one back with a close range header to add a consolation onto the board.
The victory, however, remained on home turf and the Sky Blues move above city rivals Western Sydney Wanderers into fifth place, until at least Sunday.
Sydney have now lost just one of their last nine A-League rounds, winning six, ahead of next week’s visit of Melbourne City to the Allianz.
Sydney FC: 1. Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), 4. Jordan COURTNEY-PERKINS, 8. Jake GIRDWOOD-REICH, 9. Fabio GOMES (28. Nathan AMANATIDIS 89’), 10. Joe LOLLEY (19. Mitch GLASSON 90’), 11. Robert MAK (25. Jaiden KUCHARSKI 57’), 12. Corey HOLLMAN (22. Max BURGESS 57’), 17. Anthony CACERES, 23. Rhyan GRANT, 26. Luke BRATTAN ©, 27. Hayden MATTHEWS.
Unused Subs: 20. Adam PAVLESIC (GK), 15. Gabriel LACERDA, 18. Matty SCARCELLA.
Yellow Cards: Hollman (24’)
Red Cards: None
Adelaide United: 1. James DELIANOV (GK), 3. Benjamin WARLAND (42. Austin AYOUBI 78’), 6. Stefan MAUK (22. Ryan TUNNICLIFFE 78’), 7. Ryan KITTO ©, 8. ISAIAS, 9. Hiroshi IBUSUKI (43. Giuseppe BOVALINA 60’), 10. Zach CLOUGH, 21. Javi LOPEZ, 27. Josh CAVALLO (2. Harry VAN DER SAAG 10’ (17. Luka JOVANOVIC 60’)), 51. Panagiotis KIKIANIS, 55. Ethan ALAGICH.
Unused Subs: 40. Ethan COX (GK), 23. Luke DUZEL.
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
Venue: Allianz Stadium
Referee: Alex King
Attendance: 14,084
