Gold Coast United maintained their unbeaten run over Sydney FC following their 3-1 triumph over the defending Hyundai A-League champions at Skilled Park on Friday night.
Gold Coast United maintained their unbeaten run over Sydney FC following their 3-1 triumph over the defending Hyundai A-League champions at Skilled Park on Friday night.
With a brace to striker Joel Porter and long range bomb from captain Jason Culina, Gold Coast extended their unbeaten streak to five matches over Sydney FC.
The Sky Blues rallied hard throughout the match, in particular in the second half and sparked a mini come back with a goal to Bruno Cazarine, in the 59th minute but left the pitch with a strange feeling after an improved performance on last weekend-s match against the Newcastle Jets.
Sydney FC returns home next round, hosting Robbie Fowler and the Perth Glory at Parramatta Stadium on Sunday 21 November (3pm kick-off).
“I expect more from us in the first half. Gold Coast moved the ball well through the midfield to their attacking players and they punished us,” Lavicka said.
“We knew they have a quality midfield and we wanted to close down the space. The first half was a problem. We improved in the second half but they say back.
“I am happy with the players- second half performance. The players worked hard. We must and will stay positive.”
Without strike weapons Nicky Carle and Mark Bridge through injury, coach Vitezslav Lavicka made a number of positional changes, putting the returning Sung-Hwan Byun at right back, leaving Scott Jamieson at left back and shifting Shannon Cole into an attacking midfield role, with Stuart Musialik moving to the bench.
Sydney FC made a bright start to the clash with early shots on goal from both Alex Brosque and Shannon Cole but it was Gold Coast who got onto the score sheet first with Porter scoring his first goal of the 2010/11 season.
After receiving the ball via a deft chip from Culina, Porter crushed a shot at goal that got past Sky Blues keeper Ivan Necevski in the 15th minute.
Gold Coast striker Adama Traore caused the Sky Blues headaches down the right hand side, creating numerous goal scoring chances. His first was well shut down by Foxe who made a timely slide tackle in the box to block the United players pass in the 28th minute before Traore put his next chance into the side of Sydney FC-s net.
The home then team extended their lead just moments before halftime through Culina. Gold Coast midfielder Anderson held up the ball well on the edge of the penalty box before rolling a pass to Culina, who was positioned front on to the goal, after one touch unleashed a long range shot that found the back of the net in the 45th minute.
Stuart Musialik was injected into the game for Rhyan Grant at halftime and it was a must for the away team to score first after the break. However, it was that man Porter who had other ideas.
Porter took possession of the ball in the Gold Coast-s attacking half and took off down the right hand side line before stepping inside onto his trusty left foot and curling in a brilliant individual goal into the top left of Sydney FC-s net.
Sydney FC finally struck back through Cazarine, who with his sixth goal of the season becomes the equal leading goal scorer in the A-League.
Defender Scott Jamieson put a nice pass through to a running Hirofumi Moriyasu who let go of a shot with the outside of his boot that United keeper Glen Moss parried into the post. The ball deflected to a well positioned Cazarine who put the ball away.
Despite trailing 3-1, the Sky Blues continued to create goal scoring chances and enjoyed the majority of possession but couldn-t capitalise with even a defensive header from Michael Thwaite crashing into his own cross bar and not sneaking in for the away team.
Sydney FC should be boosted by the return of Bridge for the must win clash against Perth next round.
Match Details:
Gold Coast United: 3 (PORTER 15-, 54-, CULINA 45-)
Sydney FC: 1 (CAZARINE -59)
Gold Coast United Line-up: 1. Glen MOSS (gk), 2. Steve PANTELIDIS (15. Tahj MINNIECON 46-), 3. Michael THWAITE, 6. Dino DJULBIC, 7. Zenon CARAVELLA, 8. ANDERSON, 10. Jason CULINA (c), Bas VAN DEN BRINK, 14. Joel PORTER (26. Ben HALLORAN 90-), 18. James BROWN (5. ROBSON -75), 22. Adama TRAORE
Substitutes Not Used: 20 Scott HIGGINS (gk)
Yellow Cards: 2. Steve PANTELIDIS 38-, 22. Adama TRAORE 81-
Red Cards: Nil.
Goals: 14. Joel PORTER 15-, 54- Jason CULINA 45-
Sydney FC Line-up: 20. Ivan NECEVSKI (gk), 3. Stephan KELLER, 5. Hayden FOXE, 6. Hirofumi MORIYASU, 9. Bruno CAZARINE, 12. Shannon COLE (24. Dimitri PETRATOS -70), 14. Alex BROSQUE, 15. Terry McFLYNN (c), 21. Scott JAMIESON, 22. Sung-Hwan BYUN, 23. Rhyan GRANT (8. Stuart MUSIALIK 46-)
Substitutes Not Used: 1. Liam REDDY (gk), 2. Sebastian RYALL
Yellow Cards: 8. Stuart MUSIALIK ‘59
Red Cards: Nil.
Goals: 9. Bruno CAZARINE 59-
Referee: Kris GRIFFITHS-JONES
