Sydney FC could not capitalise on a bevy of well manoeuvred attacking chances and had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Gold Coast United at Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Sydney FC could not capitalise on a bevy of well manoeuvred attacking chances and had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Gold Coast United at Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Sky Blues striker Bruno Cazarine fired his second goal in two games to give Sydney FC a well deserved lead before a Bruce Djite header on the stroke of half time levelled the scores.
Despite the sending off of John Curtis for an elbow only a minute after his introduction, Sydney couldn-t find a second goals and that elusive first win of the season.
The Sky Blues have to immediately freshen up and turn their attention to the North Queensland Fury who they host at the SFS on Wednesday night (7:30pm kick-off).
“We started the game very actively and aggressively. We created several goal opportunities and we scored a goal but in the second half or late first half Gold Coast started to play more actively,” Sydney FC coach Vitezslav Lavicka said.
“We conceded a goal at a bad time; late first half is always difficult. We kept the spirit in the second half also but it-s difficult to play against an organised opponent.
“Of course it-s frustrating for us and for the Sydney FC fans at this moment but football is sometimes like this. We showed good spirit.”
Fresh from a week off, Sydney came out early to take and maintain possession of the ball for the majority of first half. Several times in the first 30 minutes Gold Coast keeper Glen Moss had to be on his toes to deny the Sydney strikers, most notably denying returning striker Alex Brosque when through on goal.
Brosque and Cazarine fell in to step in their first game together since the formers return from injury as they looked to grab a goal.
Finally it was a corner, whipped in by Sung-Hwan Byun, that was flicked on at the front post before Cazarine was left free to head in despite two Gold Coast United-s defenders best efforts to keep it out.
Then, with a minute left of the first half they found the equaliser when Michael Thwaite nodded a corner back into the box where the unmarked Bruce Djite was on hand to finish the simplest of chances.
The second half was a scramble as both sides fought to edge out the other with Sydney particularly keen to turn their season around with a win.
Brosque had the ball in the back of the net but celebrations were premature as the ref disallowed it to bring play back for a foul on Cazarine. From the resulting free kick Byun fired narrowly wide.
The game swung in Sydney-s favour when John Curtis was red carded for an elbow on Hirofumi Moriyasu during an aerial challenge and another chance for Brosque ignited the Sky Blues- fans as he hit the post from 20 yards out.But Gold Coast were able to stop all of Sydney-s last minute attempts at goal with the keeper Moss making a good reaction stop from a Stephen Keller shot from six yards out.
The game went in to added time but the Sky Blues were unable to break the stalemate as Brendon Gan missed a good chance by heading over in the final seconds of the match.
Skipper Terry McFlynn, himself returning from a two-week injury lay off, was devastated after the game.
“The second half is always difficult against ten men because they put ten behind the ball,” he said.
“We could have been more patient at times. We went forward at times and we could have kept the ball; we created a lot of chances. We scored but the referee had stopped it so we can-t really count that but I still think we created enough chances to win the game. A win-s not too far away.
“It-s always nice to get a win and get that monkey off your back and we-re still fighting for that, and tonight I think we were very close. I-d stay it was a mistake on my behalf that cost us tonight. We believe we-re doing the right things.”
Match Details
Sydney FC: 1 (CAZARINE 20′)
Gold Coast United FC: 1 (DJITE 45+1)
Sydney FC Line-up: 1. Liam REDDY (gk), 2. Sebastian RYALL, 3. Stephan KELLER, 8. Stuart MUSIALIK, 9. Bruno CAZARINE, 12. Shannon COLE (7. Brendan GAN 82′), 14. Alex BROSQUE, 15. Terry McFLYNN (c), 19. Mark BRIDGE, 21. Scott JAMIESON (6. Hirofumi MORIYASU 57′), 22. Sung-Hwan BYUN.
Substitutes Not Used: 5. Hayden FOXE, 20. Ivan NECEVSKI (gk).
Yellow Cards: 14. Alex BROSQUE 36′, 12. Shannon COLE 45′.
Red Cards: Nil.
Goals: 9. Bruno CAZARINE 20′.
Gold Coast United FC: 1. Glen MOSS (gk), 3. Michael THWAITE, 5. ROBSON (24 John CURTIS 67′), 6. Dino DJULBIC, 7. Zenon CARAVELLA, 10. Jason CULINA (c), 11. Bruce DJITE, 16. Kristian REES, 19 Andrew BARISIC (2. Steve PANTELIDIS 60′), 22. Adama TRAORE, 23. Steven FITZSIMMONS (27. Chris HAROLD 77′).
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Scott HIGGINS (gk).
Yellow Cards: 16. Kristian REES 32′, 3. Michael THWAITE 65′.
Red Cards: 24. John CURTIS 68′.
Goals: 11. Bruce DJITE 45+1′.
Referee: Ben WILLIAMS.
Crowd: 9 977 at the Sydney Football Stadium.
