Sydney FC has moved to within four points of second place and stretched their unbeaten streak to four games with a 3-0 win over Perth Glory at Allianz Stadium thanks to a Joe Lolley hat-trick.
Sydney FC 3 (Lolley 52’, 70’ pen 88’) def Perth Glory 0
Moments That Mattered
14’ | HOLLMAN SHOT – Defensive midfielder Hollman comes from deep to strike a left foot shot goalward from outside the box, the ball skidding metres wide.
16’ | KLIMALA STRIKE – Sydney FC win the ball after aggressive pressing, Klimala shifting the ball to his right only for his shot to deflect high and wide from 25 metres.
21’ | GRANT SAVES DAY– A misplaced pass threatens to release Perth’s Pennington one-on-one before Sydney FC skipper Grant’s desperate slide defuses the danger.
28’ | SAVE FROM LOLLEY – After Ouahim wins a free kick on the edge of the box, Lolley’s curling strike seems destined for the top corner before Perth goalkeeper Sail lives up to his name and parries the ball wide.
45’ | GOAL-LINE CLEARANCE – Sydney FC almost snatch the lead in the shadow of half-time when Perth’s goalkeeper miscues an attempted punch and defender Lebib is forced to block Caceres’s close-range follow-up.
51’ | LOLLEY GOAL – It’s that man Lolley again as he buries a volley from 15 metres when the ball sits up invitingly for him after a trademark driving run from Careres.
54’ | CLOSE CALL – A suddenly-awakened Perth almost grab an quick equaliser when Ostler spins in the box and arrows a shot just wide with Devenish-Meares a spectator.
69’ | LOLLEY PENALTY – Lolley crashes a penalty home after a review shows the ball cannoned into Lebib’s outstretched arm as he tried to thwart Klimala’s close-range volley.
79’ | GOAL OVERTURNED – Klimala ruled fractionally offside after turning Lebib neatly on the edge of the box and drilling the ball home.
87’ | LOLLEY HAT-TRICK – Lolley seals his first hat-trick for the club with a close-range finish after Sail saves from Klimala.
Match Report: Sydney FC has moved to the edge of the finals spots and is just four points from second place following a 3-0 win over Perth Glory and a third clean sheet of the season tonight at Allianz Stadium.
Joe Lolley’s second half hat-trick secured the points for the Sky Blues who also had a Patryk Klimala goal disallowed for offside.
Sydney FC dominated most of the opening period, camped in the Perth Glory half but were unable to create any clear cut chances against a deep lying defence.
The first moment of note came when Pennington fouled Ouahim on the edge of the area and Lolley curled a left foot free kick to the far post which Sail pushed around for a corner.
Sydney FC continued to press and when Caceres pounced on a loose ball from a left wing cross, Lebib was there to clear off the line and keep it level at the break.
The deadlock was broken five minutes into the second half as the Sky Blues pressure finally told. Lolley played an unintentional one-two off a Perth defender and when the ball came back to him, he drove a left footed shot home from the centre of the box.
Sydney FC were two up in the 70th minute when Klimala’s goal-bound shot was blocked by the arm of Lebib, and after a VAR review, referee Sam Kelly awarded a penalty.
Lolley stepped up and slammed it home into the top corner left footed.
It could have been three moments later when Lolley turned provider and fired in a left wing free-kick which Klimala could only head over the bar.
When the Pole finally hit the back of the net with ten minutes to go, he was adjudged offside in the build-up.
Lolley wrapped up the win late on when Segecic’s cross for Klimala’s shot was parried by Sail into his path and he slotted it home to claim the match ball.
What They Said: Ufuk Talay: “I thought it was a better performance than our last game against Newcastle.
“Overall with the ball we were a lot better. We had some really good moments and we showed what we can really do, when we’re on.
“I thought the pressing was very good today, we created a lot of opportunities. I thought we got into the opponent’s box a lot of times.
“If we were a little bit more patient, we could have probably scored a few more goals, but overall I’m very pleased with the full 90 minutes.
“From the first whistle to the end, I think we dominated the whole game.”
Joe Lolley:- “It’s my first hat-trick in a very long time and they’re always welcomed.
“Four unbeaten now and a couple of wins and a couple of clean sheets so now we can build on that.
“I guess when you score a couple of goals and the confidence starts to come up, and everything falls for you.
“Even the first and probably the third goal you get a bit fortuitous and the ball is bouncing in the right direction and that’s always a good thing.
“I feel good, I feel confident on the pitch, I feel good in my body and hopefully it just keeps continuing.”
Sydney FC: 12. Harrison DEVENISH-MEARES (GK),5. Hayden MATTHEWS, 6. Corey HOLLMAN (20. Tiago QUINTAL 89’), 8. Anas OUAHIM (7. Adrian SEGECIC 70’), 9. Patryk KLIMALA (13. Pat WOOD 89’), 10. Joe LOLLEY (25. Jaiden KUCHARSKI 89’), 15. Leo SENA, 16. Joel KING, 17. Anthony CACERES, 21. Zac DE JESUS (4. Jordan COURTNEY-PERKINS 76’), 23. Rhyan GRANT (C).
Unused Subs: 1. Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), 3. Aaron GURD.
Yellow Cards: Klimala 74’, Courtney-Perkins 83’.
Red Cards: None
Perth Glory: Perth Glory squad: 1. Oli SAIL (gk), 7. Nicholas PENNINGTON (10. Nikola MILEUSNIC 71’), 12. Taras GOMULKA, 15. Zach LISOLAJSKI, 17. Jarrod CARLUCCIO, 19. Josh RISDON (26. Khoa NGO 90’), 20. Trent OSTLER (21. Abdul FAISAL 62’), 22. Adam TAGGART (14. Nathanael BLAIR 46’), 24. Andriano LEBIB, 25. Jaylan PEARMAN (6. Brandon O’NEILL 63’), 29.Tomi MRCELA
Unused Subs: 13. Cameron COOK (gk), 3. Anas HAMZAOUI.
Yellow Cards: Pennington 13’, Lisolajski 61’, Lebib 74’, Risdon 76’.
Red Cards: None
Venue: Allianz Stadium
Referee: Sam Kelly
Attendance: 7,634
