Sydney FC have succumbed to a 2-1 defeat at AAMI Park after a much improved Melbourne Heart produced a determined second half display.
Sydney FC have succumbed to a 2-1 defeat at AAMI Park after a much improved Melbourne Heart produced a determined second half display.
Corey Gameiro gave the Sky Blues a first half lead before two mistakes gifted goals to Jonatan Germano and David Williams after the break.
Frank Farina brought Nick Carle into the side to replace the injured Terry McFlynn while Richard Garcia returned to the bench.
Both teams had early chances to score. Behich screwed the ball wide on eleven minutes after good work from Kewell on a counter attack presented the ball to the midfielder 12 yards out.
Five minutes later Sydney FC-s Serbian midfielder Milos Dimitrijevic shot from 25 yards with his effort just clipping the bar and going over.
The Sky Blues should have gone in front again moments later when a long ball from Despotovic to Gameiro saw the Young Socceroo outpace the Heart defence to go clear on goal, but a last ditch tackle from the hosts denied the striker.
Heart were reduced to ten men in the 33rd minute when a lunge from Engelaar made contact with Hagi Gligor-s ankle and the defender was show a straight red card by referee Jarred Gillett. Replays confirmed a high challenge with studs showing.
Sydney FC made Melbourne pay moments later when Gameiro put them in front. An Abbas cross took a deflection which Heart keeper Redmayne spilled to the former Fulham man-s feet and he made no mistake from five yards to give the Sky Blues a half time lead.
It was a lead which didn-t last long and six minutes into the second half the hosts were level. A clever flicked header put Germano through on goal and while his lob beat Janjetovic, Jurman was in position to clear off the goalline. The centre half-s clearance went high in the air and as Janjetovic tried to gather he fumbled giving the ball back to Germano who made no mistake with the second chance.
Chances were few and far between for the remainder of the half with both sides making substitutions.
Garcia and Abbas both had long range strikes which came to nothing.
As Sydney FC pushed on in search of a winner, it was the Heart who struck the decisive blow. Two minutes from time an attempted chest pass from Garcia fell to Williams on the halfway line, with the majority of Sydney FC-s players camped in the Melbourne half.
Williams drove at Sydney FC-s only remaining defender Jurman and as he got to the edge of the box, the attacker came back inside to fire a right foot shot into the corner of Janjetovic-s net.
The 2-1 defeat means Sydney FC will need to make the most of two consecutive home games coming up against Adelaide United next Saturday night and Perth Glory a week later.
Melbourne Heart 2 (Germano 51-, Williams 88-) def. Sydney FC 1 (Gameiro 38-)
AAMI Park
Referee: Jarred Gillett
SYDNEY FC: 20. Vedran JANJETOVIC (GK), 2. Seb RYALL, 4. Ranko DESPOTOVIC, 5. Matt JURMAN, 6. Nikola PETKOVIC, 9. Corey GAMEIRO, 10. Alessandro DEL PIERO ©, 19. Nick CARLE (11. Richard GARCIA 59-), 21. Milos DIMITRIJEVIC (29. Alec UROSEVSKI 79-), 22. Ali ABBAS, 24. Hagi GLIGOR, .
Substitute not used: 1 Ivan NECEVSKI, 25. Daniel PETKOVSKI, 28. Matt THOMPSON,
Yellow Cards: DIMITRIJEVIC 16-, JANJETOVIC 40-, GLIGOR 43-, PETKOVIC 50-
MELBOURNE HEART: 1. Andrew REDMAYNE, 3. Robbie WIELAERT, 4. Orlando ENGELAAR, 7. Iain RAMSEY (15. David WILLIAMS 69-), 8 Massimo MURDOCCA, 10. Harry KEWELL © (6. Patrick GERHARDT 90+1), 13. Jonatan GERMANO, 16. Aziz BEHICH, 17. Jason HOFFMAN, 23. Mate DUGANDZIC (19. Benjamin GARUCCIO 69-), 24. Patrick KISNORBO.
Substitutes not used: 20. Tando VELAPHI, 22. Nicholas KALMAR.
Yellow Cards: BEHICH 36-, REDMAYNE 90+5.
Red Cards: ENGELAAR 33-.
FINALS RUN PACK – Sydney FC face four huge games as they head for the Hyundai A-League Finals Series, including the blockbusting #SydneyDerby against Western Sydney on March 8.
SAVE up to 27% on tickets and GUARANTEE your seat to that MASSIVE MATCH and the games against current table toppers Brisbane Roar and Finals contenders Wellington Phoenix and Perth Glory, by signing up for our Finals Run Pack.
They start from a bargain $90 for adults and $245 for a family of four*. Head to sydneyfc.com to purchase and DON’T MISS OUT!!
* 2 adults / 2 juniors.
