Sydney FC young gun, Mathias Macallister has scored his first senior goal to send the Sky Blues into the Hahn Australia Cup Round of 16.
Ufuk Talay’s side kept a clean sheet in a solid defensive performance against Western United at Ironbark Fields to progress into the last 16 of the cup tournament.
Moments That Mattered
30’ | HOEFSLOOT SAVE – An in-swinging corner from Angus Thurgate bounces around the box and Gus Hoefsloot races off his line and throws up a strong hand to deny the hosts the opener.
56′ | SKIPPER OFF THE POST – Rhyan Grant meets Rhys Youlley’s free-kick and his header crashes off the up-right and Western are able to scramble the ball away.
75’ | MACALLISTER GOAL – Lolley cuts inside the right-hand side of the box, floating the ball in for Macallister who heads the ball up and above Sutton for his first senior goal.
90′ | HOEFSLOOT HOLDS WELL – A dipping shot from range from Western United is held well by the Sky Blues shot stopper with the ball bouncing just in front of him.
Match Report
Sydney FC have progressed into the next round of the Hahn Australia Cup with a 1-0 victory at Ironbark Fields thanks to a maiden goal from Mathias Macallister.
The match began with a back-and-forth tussle for possession with both teams unable to create a clear cut chance.
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The Sky Blues invited the pressure with short goal kicks and looked for a route through the Green and Black while the hosts were comfortable knocking the ball around the back as they hunted a gap in the Sydney press.
A few neat passages of possession created chances for Sydney FC with Lolley breaking into the defensive third, laying it off to Wood who is unable to find the venom behind his shot.
Upon the thirty-minute mark, Angus Thurgate whips in a dangerous ball from a corner kick, bouncing beyond goal which landed at the feet of Oli Lavale who saw his shot on target blocked by Gus Hoefsloot in net on Sydney FC debut.
There would be no way through for either side in the first 45 and in the second stanza, the Sky Blues were even more solid in defence, limiting the hosts to shots from range.
Rhyan Grant had the best chance of the contest near the hour mark as he met Rhys Youlley’s in-swinging free-kick at the back post and nodded the ball into the up-right as Western United cleared the ball.
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Paul Okon Jnr, Rhys Youlley & Al Hassan Toure all looked bright in their club debuts in the midfield and on the wing, and Okon Jnr was looking to feed Pat Wood and substitute Mathias Macallister up front with some neat through balls.
Ultimately it would be the 18-year-old Mathias Macallister on just his second senior appearance who came up with the winner.
With fifteen minutes remaining, a crafted ball to the right-wing by Popovic found Joe Lolley who shapes onto his left and floated a cross to the back post onto the head of Macallister, who with a guided headed over Matt Sutton gave the Sky Blues the 1-0 lead.
Ufuk Talay’s side saw out the remainder of the game to secure their passage into the Round of 16 of the Australia Cup for 2025.
What They Said
Ufuk Talay
“Tonight we needed to win and we did, and that is all that matters, but I am really pleased with the defensive performance.
“I thought it was a really good defensive display away from home and I am pleased that we can progress into the next round and I am also really pleased for young Macca [Macallister] on scoring his first goal which he took well.
“We were really brave to play through the press tonight. To execute our gameplan we need to draw the opposition in to find those gaps and when we got it right you saw the rewards tonight with how we moved up the park.
“I thought Okon did well on debut and Al Hassan [Toure] gave us depth when he came on and I think overall the boys worked really hard for the result.”
Mathias Macallister
“I am so happy to have scored my first goal. I was a bit nervous before coming on but I am there to do a job and that’s exactly what I did and I’m even more stoked that it won us the game.
“I’ve been watching Joe cut inside onto his left for the last few years so once I saw that I peeled off and made eye contact and with his pin-point perfect cross I just did the rest.
“There were a few family friends here tonight who were in the travelling Cove so I went to celebrate with them and the fans who made the trip down from Sydney for the game.”
Sydney FC (Away) | Formation: 4-4-2: 1. Gus HOEFSLOOT (GK), 41. Alexander POPOVIC, 4. Jordan COURTNEY-PERKINS, 16. Joel KING, 23. Rhyan GRANT (C), 8. Wataru KAMIJO (6. Corey HOLLMAN 62’), 24. Paul OKON JNR, 36. Rhys YOULLEY (35. Al Hassan TOURE 69’), 20. Tiago QUINTAL (22. Mathias MACALLISTER 62’), 10. Joesph LOLLEY, 13. Patrick WOOD
Head Coach: Ufuk TALAY
Unused Substitutions: 30. Alexander ZAVERDINOS (GK), 5. Alex GRANT, 29. Joesph LACEY, 44. Akol AKON
Yellow Cards: 16. Joel KING 11’, 8. Wataru KAMIJO 61’
Red Cards: None
Western United (Home) | Formation: 4-4-2: 33. Matthew SUTTON (GK), 13. Tatw RUSSELL, 6. Tomoki IMAI (C), 30. Dylan LEONARD, 41. Besian KUTLESHI (43. Khoder KADDOUR 90’), 23. Rhys BOZINOVSKI (44. Jordan LAUTON 76’), 32, Angus THURGATE, 20. Abel WALATEE, 14. Jake NAJDOVSKI (48. Mark LEONARD 58’), 5. Oliver LAVALE (37. Luke VICKERY 76’), 10. Mattew GRIMALDI,
Head Coach: John ALOISI
Unused Substitutions: 70. Micheal VONJA (GK), 21. Sebastian PASQUALI, 54. Tobias SERVIN.
Yellow Cards: 23. Rhys BOZINOVSKI 55’, 6. Tomoki IMAI 90+2’
Red Cards: None
Venue: Ironbark Fields, Tarneit, Victoria
Referee: Jack Morgan
