Sydney FC completed a superb win in the Sydney Derby on Saturday night, hammering Western Sydney Wanderers 4-1 at the CommBank Stadium.
Sydney FC 4 (Grant 3’, Fabio (pen) 7’, 60’, Mak 50’) def. Western Sydney Wanderers 1 (Sapsford 72’)
Moments That Mattered
3’ – GRANT GOAL – A flying start for the Sky Blues, as co-skipper Grant clinically heads home Lolley’s pinpoint cross.
7’ – FABIO GOAL – A stunning start gets even better, as WSW are punished for a handball in the area. Fabio makes no mistake from the spot, sending Margush the wrong way.
22’ – BORRELLO GOAL DISALLOWED – Borrello goes through and finds the net, but is called offside and the strike is chalked off.
50’ – MAK GOAL – Mak is played through by Hollman with just Margush to beat, sweeping home Sydney FC’s third.
60’ – FABIO GOAL – Cometh the hour, cometh the number nine. Fabio capitalises on a defensive mix-up and rolls in number four.
72’ – OWN GOAL – Wanderers pull a goal back, as Sapsford’s cross deflects into the net via Girdwood-Reich’s deflection.
What They Said: Ufuk Talay:
“The two early goals probably hurt their spirits at home, and I think it didn’t allow the home crowd to get into the game. The difference was that we pressed aggressively and we were clinical in the moments we had the ball.
“This is the identity we want to create at Sydney, a high-pressing and intense game. If we’re going to fall over, we want to fall forwards and not backwards.
“There’s a lot of clarity for the boys in how they understand their roles and that’s hugely important for us.”
Match Report:
Sydney FC laid down a firm marker on the A-League on Saturday night, thrashing Western Sydney Wanderers 4-1 at the CommBank Stadium.
You would have to go a long way to see a better start to such a fierce derby, with co-captain Rhyan Grant’s header and Fabio Gomes’ penalty sending the Sky Blues into a two-goal lead inside just seven minutes.
Dominance continued into the second half for Ufuk Talay’s side, as Robert Mak made it three, and Fabio added his second and Sydney’s fourth on the hour mark.
Not to be entirely silenced, Wanderers did pull back a consolation goal, as Zac Sapsford’s cross was deflected past Andrew Redmayne off Jake Girdwood-Reich.
Evergreen Grant stepped up to take the skipper’s armband with Luke Brattan serving a one-match suspension, and with under three minutes on the clock, he led with a sterling captain’s contribution.
Youth and intense energy is a constant theme in Talay’s Sydney FC outfit, but it was two experienced teammates who combined for the opener, as Grant steered a firm header into the net from Joe Lolley’s pinpoint ball in.
In amongst scenes of elation in the away end, the visiting support barely had the chance to settle before their team was presented with the opportunity to make it two.
Sydney’s second was forthcoming, as the referee deemed a WSW touch inside the area to be a handball offence showing no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Fabio stepped up, and rolled in the spot-kick to make it 2-0 inside seven minutes.
Still in control as Lolley and Burgess both went close, the hosts momentarily thought they had halved the deficit, when Brandon Borrello went through on goal, finishing smartly. However, the assistant’s flag was raised for offside and the scoreline remained 0-2 at the break.
Killing the game off was the priority after the interval, and it was a question for Sydney of whether they could pick up where they left off.
Yes was the answer – as Mak ran through to make it three just five minutes after the restart.
Breaking through to Corey Hollman as he managed to reach a loose touch first, the ball was guided to Mak, who beat the offside line and showed excellent composure to tuck home his strike.
Leaving no stone unturned despite the healthy lead, the visitors continued their ruthless press and were rewarded after an hour’s play with a fourth goal.
Under pressure from Fabio, substitute Tom Beadling played a pass too heavy back to his goalkeeper Daniel Margush, which the Brazilian frontman managed to latch onto and roll over the line to stretch the advantage even further.
Even with Wanderers having a brief last word as Sapsford’s intended cross deflected in off the unfortunate Girdwood-Reich, the memorable victory leapfrogs the Sky Blues into fifth above their opponents, just seven points from the summit ahead of next week’s return to the Allianz against Brisbane Roar.
Western Sydney Wanderers: 1. Daniel MARGUSH (GK), 5. Sonny KITTEL (35. Zac SAPSFORD 63’), 6. MARCELO ©, 14. Nicolas MILANOVIC (7. Dylan PIERIAS 55’), 17. Lachlan BROOK, 19. Jack CLISBY (29. Dylan SCICLUNA 63’), 21. Jorrit HENDRIX, 26. Brandon BORRELLO, 31. Aidan SIMMONS, 33. Alexander BONETIG (16. Tom BEADLING 55’), 37. Alexander BADOLATO (36. Oscar PRIESTMAN 46’).
Unused Subs: 30. Taiga HARPER (GK), 10. Milos NINKOVIC.
Yellow Cards: Clisby (36’)
Red Cards: None
Sydney FC: 1. Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), 4. Jordan COURTNEY-PERKINS, 8. Jake GIRDWOOD-REICH, 9. Fabio GOMES (28. Nathan AMANATIDIS 79’), 10. Joe LOLLEY, 11. Robert MAK (19. Mitch GLASSON 79’), 12. Corey HOLLMAN (18. Matty SCARCELLA 87’), 17. Anthony CACERES, 22. Max BURGESS (25. Jaiden KUCHARSKI 79’), 23. Rhyan GRANT ©, 27. Hayden MATTHEWS (15. Gabriel LACERDA 46’).
Unused Subs: 20. Adam PAVLESIC (GK), 16. Joel KING.
Yellow Cards: Matthews (44’), Burgess (66’), Girdwood-Reich (74’), Hollman (76’)
Red Cards: None
Venue: CommBank Stadium
Referee: Alex King
Attendance:
