Sydney FC has broken its three match losing streak in spectacular fashion with a resounding 4-1 victory over the North Queensland Fury in the Hyundai A League.
Sydney FC has broken its three match losing streak in spectacular fashion with a resounding 4-1 victory over the North Queensland Fury in the Hyundai A League at the Sydney Football Stadium on Saturday night.
“It was a tough week for us,” said Sydney coach Vitezslav Lavicka after the match. “We wanted to play a different style from the last game [against Newcastle]… it was a big improvement.”
Alex Brosque continued his impressive form, bagging two deserved goals after setting up many of Sydney-s chances this season. John Aloisi marked his return with a goal and Steve Corica put the finishing touches on a stellar Sky Blue performance.
With Mark Bridge sidelined due to an ankle injury, Aloisi made the most of the opportunity in the starting side.
In the 14th minute a corner was successfully defended by the visitors, but Karol Kisel put the ball back into the box to keep the pressure on. Stephan Keller managed to rise above everyone to head the ball down to Corica who spread it across the face of Fury-s goal towards Aloisi.
Sydney-s marquee man showed great anticipation to get to the ball before it went out to slam it home for his fifth goal of the season.
“It was good to get on the scoresheet but the most important thing was to win and win well,” said Aloisi.
“The boys stuck together this week because we could-ve easily gone downhill and start slipping.”
The Sky Blues continued to push forward and were rewarded with another goal in the 19th minute.A clever pass by Captain Corica split the Fury defence creating space for Brosque to outrun his markers. The former Brisbane striker looked poised to score from that position but was cut down from behind by a North Queensland defender. The crowd-s calls for a penalty were answered by Brosque himself who somehow managed to prod the ball home whilst lying on the grass.
Brosque almost scored again in the 33rd when he was picked out by a pin-point Karol Kisel pass, but his low, skimming shot was inches wide of the upright.
Kisel created another good opportunity a minute later when he beat David Williams with a deft cut-back before his cross found a sliding Brosque who could only hit it wide.
Keller looked to make an impact in the 43rd minute when he made a barnstorming run through the middle but was stopped by a well-timed tackle from Matthew Smith to keep the score at 2-0 on half-time.
Sydney came out from the break looking to keep up the intensity of the first half and went 3-0 up when Brosque left his marker for dead, converting Corica-s free kick with an accurate header in the 57th minute.
The visitors pulled one back in the 61st minute with a free kick of their own. Cooke-s swinging cross from the spot seemed to be deflected in the slightest by both Smith-s head in the middle, and Rostyn Griffiths at the back post to end up in the net.
The goal failed to spark a Fury fight back as Sydney hit back straight away when McFlynn-s lofting cross in open play was freely headed in by Corica.
Fowler was kept quiet throughout most of the match, with the Sky Blue defence rock solid on the star striker-s runs. But he did show a flash of brilliance in the 81st minute, attempting a first-time lob which went harmlessly over Clint Bolton-s head.
The score finished 4-1 at full-time, the perfect way for the Sky Blues to put recent results behind them and rejoin the winners circle.
“Last game [against Newcastle] we got beaten well and it wasn-t easy coming back here and playing in front of supporters we let down last week but we showed from the very beginning we-re up for it,” said Aloisi. “People say that we haven-t got leaders, I think we-ve got a lot of leaders and we showed tonight what character we have.”
Sydney FC remain in second place on the ladder closing the gap to Melbourne Victory to three points.
“We-re looking forward to pushing them [Melbourne] all the way and getting away from the rest of the pack,” said Aloisi.
But they-ll have to overcome Wellington Phoenix at FMG Stadium next Saturday before facing the league leaders.
Match Detail
Sydney FC 4 (John ALOISI 14′, Alex BROSQUE 19′ + 58′, Steve Corica 64′)
North Queensland Fury 1 (Rostyn GRIFFITHS 61′)
Sydney FC: 1. Clint BOLTON (gk), 3. Stephan KELLER, 4. Simon COLOSIMO, 6. Karol KISEL (7. Brendan GAN 80′), 8. Stuart MUSIALIK, 9. John ALOISI, 10. Steve CORICA (c) (2. Sebastian RYALL 90+1′), 12. Shannon COLE, 14. Alex BROSQUE (11. Kofi DANNING 85′), 15. Terry MCFLYNN, 22. Sung-Hwan BYUN.
Substitutes not used: 20. Ivan NECEVSKI (gk).
Yellow Cards: 4. Simon COLOSIMO 68′.
Red Cards: nil.
Goals: 9. John ALOISI 14′, 14 Alex BROSQUE 19′ + 58′, 10. Steve CORICA 64′.
North Queensland Fury: 20. Justin PASFIELD (gk), 2. Robbie MIDDLEBY (14. Chris GROSSMAN 81′), 9. Robbie FOWLER (c), 11. David WILLIAMS, 12. Jack HINGENT (7. Jason SPAGNUOLO 55′), 16 Paul KOHLER, 19 Daniel MCBREEN, 21. John TAMBOURAS, 23. Rostyn GRIFFITHS, 26. Matthew SMITH, 27. Terry COOKE (10. Jeremy BROCKIE 74′).
Substitutes not used: 1. Paul HENDERSON (gk).
Yellow Cards: 23. Rostyn GRIFFITHS 20′, 26. Matthew SMITH 57′.
Red Cards: nil.
Goals: 23. Rostyn GRIFFITH 61′.
Referee: Ben WILLIAMS.
Crowd 11 871 at the Sydney Football Stadium.
