Sydney FC take a 2-2 draw to Thailand next week for the second leg of their AFC Champions League 2, last 16 clash with Bangkok United after a late equaliser cost them the chance of a first half lead.
An Adrian Segecic double put the Sky Blues in the ascendancy after a Zivkovic penalty but Thitipan’s late equaliser denied Ufuk Talay’s men who dominated the game.
Sydney FC 2 (Segecic 60’, 79’) drew w. Bangkok United 2 (Zivkovic 49’ pen, Thitipan 90’+5)
Moments That Mattered:
5’ | AL-GHASSANI MISS – Everton plays the ball forward to Zivovic who flicks it through to Al-Ghassani who nudges the ball wide.
6’ | CACERES CHANCE – Ouahim plays a neat ball behind the defence to Caceres who is closed down at the last minute as he was about to shoot.
11’ | KLIMALA SHOOTS – A long range effort from Klimala is saved by the Thai national goalkeeper.
29’ | KLIMALA PENALTY APPEAL – Klimala goes to shoot in the box but a Thai defender puts his leg across, which appears to make him clip the defender’s foot and miss the ball. However, neither the referee or VAR consider it a penalty.
49’ | ZIVKOVIC PENALTY – Devenish-Meares brings down the Bangkok forward in the box and Zivkovic slots home the penalty.
60’ | SEGECIC GOAL – Substitutes combine as Costa feeds Segecic who manages to get the better of his defender and lift the ball over the keeper.
79’ | SEGECIC GOAL – The winger takes the ball beats his man and smashes a shot into the far corner of the goal.
80’ | SEGECIC SHOT SAVED – In a near identical move Segecic beats another defender and forces the keeper into a fine save, denying him a hat-trick.
90’ | DEVENISH MEARES SAVE – Al Ghassani receives a lofted ball at the back post and bears down on goal but Devenish-Meares is out quick with his body to block the ball.
90’+1’ | OUAHIM CHANCE – Segecic plays the ball out to Kucharski who fires in a cross to Ouahim but the German can only fire wide.
90’+5’ | THITIPAN GOAL – The winger runs free on the right and he squeezes the ball in at the near post to level the scores.
Match Report: Sydney FC have been denied a first leg lead against Bangkok United and they head to Thailand for the second at 2-2 following a 95th minute equaliser.
A frenetic opening first 15 minutes saw both sides attacking and chances at both ends for Al-Ghassani, Caceres and Klimala in particular, before the game settled down.
The Sky Blues were also denied a penalty despite a push on Courtney-Perkins in the box.
Just before the half hour mark they were denied again when Klimala took an air shot under pressure from a defender. Replays looked to show he had caught the defender’s foot when shooting but despite VAR looking at it no penalty was awarded.
Bangkok were awarded a penalty themselves just after half time when Devenish-Meares brought down their striker in the box.
Zivkovic struck the penalty into the bottom corner to put the visitors into the lead.
Sydney FC were level on the hour when the two substitutes Costa and Segecic combined with the latter finding his way to goal with a lifted shot over the keeper.
The Sydney FC Academy graduate then produced a spectacular effort to drill the ball into the far corner from outside the box with ten minutes remaining, and put the Sky Blues ahead.
Devenish-Meares made a late save when one on one with Al-Ghassani to keep Sydney FC in front before Ouahim had a chance to notch a third.
However it wasn’t to be when Thitipan raced onto a through-ball and from a tight angle squeezed the ball between the keeper and the post.
What They Said: Ufuk Talay: “You concede an equalizer late on and finishing 2-2, but we know there’s another leg.
“We’re still in a good place in that sense. I thought we conceded against the run of play.
“They were probably a little bit more direct, had a couple of moments, but I think we had more of the ball and created some good chances.
“We just didn’t capitalize in the first half. They had transition moments where they got a penalty and scored, but I think the boys worked hard to get themselves back in the game.
“The positive sign is that we’re creating chances and getting into the right areas. The negative is that we’re not executing them.
“That’s the frustrating part. But look, it’s always going to be a tough game away from home.
“We’ll come up with a game plan for the second leg, and hopefully, we can get the result we need.”
Sydney FC: 12. Harrison DEVENISH-MEARES (GK), 4. Jordan COURTNEY-PERKINS, 6. Corey HOLLMAN (11. Douglas COSTA 55’), 8. Anas OUAHIM, 9. Patryk KLIMALA (25. Jaiden KUCHARSKI 87’), 10. Joe LOLLEY (7. Adrian SEGECIC 55’), 15. Leo SENA (24. Wataru KAMIJO 90’+3’), 17. Anthony CACERES, 21. Zac DE JESUS (16. Joel KING 55’), 23. Rhyan GRANT (C), 42. Kyle SHAW.
Unused Subs: 1. Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), 5. Alex GRANT, 27. Lachie MIDDLETON, 29. Joe LACEY, 32. Nickolas ALFARO, 34. Tyler WILLIAMS, 37. Will KENNEDY.
Yellow Cards: Devenish-Meares 49’.
Red Cards: None.
Bangkok United FC: 1. Patiwat KHAMMAI, 2. Peerapat NOTECHAIYA (21. Pratama ARHAN ALIF 85’), 3. Everton SATURNINO, 4. Manuel TOM BIHR, 6. Nitipong SELANON, 16. Muhsen SALEH AL, 18. Thitiphan PUNGJAN, 28. Thossawat LIMWANASATHIAN, 30. Richairo ZIVKOVIC (11. Rungrat PHUMICHANTUK 84’), 39. Pokklaw A-NAN (26. Suphan THONGSONG 90’+7’), 93. EID.
Unused Subs: 34. Warut MAKEMUSIK, 8. Wisarut IMURA, 19. Chayawat SRINAWONG, 25. Supanut SUADSONG, 36. Jakkapan PRAISUWAN, 51. Kritsada NONTHARAT, 77. Luka ADZIC, 90. Philip BIJAWAT, 96. Boontawee THEPPAWONG.
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
Venue: Sydney Football Stadium
Referee: Yamashita YOSHIMI
Attendance: 5,131
