A heartbreaking late goal against the run of play has proven costly for Sydney FC who should have come away from this game with at least a point if not all three against Melbourne City at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.
Sydney FC 1 (Ninkovic 54’) def. by Melbourne City FC 2 (Retre OG 32’, Leckie)
Moments That Mattered:
LE FONDRE CHANCE – 10’ – Glover comes about 40 yards off his line but Le Fondre gets there first and tries to lob him but the shot goes wide.
GRANT CHANCE – 22’ – Amini crosses to the far post to Grant who heads it back across goal but can’t find a team-mate.
NINKOVIC SHOT SAVED – 32’ – The Serbian receives the ball on the edge of the box and shoots low which Glover pushes wide.
RETRE OWN GOAL – 32’ – City break and McLaren crosses to Leckie whose shot is brilliantly saved by Redmayne but it hits Retre and ricochet’s in.
METCALF CHANCE – 50’ – Cross from Berenguer is headed back across by Maclaren to Metcalf who blasts over from close range.
NINKOVIC GOAL – 52’ – A left wing corner is headed down by Donachie and it’s only cleared as far as Ninkovic who blasts home from close range.
NINKOVIC CHANCE – 54’ – A ball is played across the box by Grant to Ninkovic who shoots over as Glover comes out to close the angle.
AMINI SHOT – 55’ – Amini drills a shot hard and just over the bar.
LECKIE GOAL – 90’+1’ – Leckie cuts inside and hits a left foot shot in off the post.
What They Said: Steve Corica: “I’m shattered for the players, because I thought they played extremely well and did their jobs. We were the better team.
“A point probably wouldn’t have been deserved, I thought we were the better team but we’ve ended up with nothing.
“It’s disappointing for everyone and I’m very frustrated because we needed to win today.
“That’s the way football goes sometimes it’s very harsh and you’ve got to take it on the chin and keep playing like that and the results will start to come.”
Match Report
Sydney FC have lost a game they dominated having come from a goal down to equalize, before an injury time strike cost them a share of the spoils.
The Sky Blues had three good chances in the opening half an hour through Le Fondre, Grant and Ninkovic but none were able to convert and City took the lead against the run of play.
An Amini shot was blocked and the visitors broke away with MacLaren crossing to Leckie who’s shot was saved by Redmayne but it rebounded off Retre and in.
Ninkovic equalized early in the second half from a corner which fell kindly for him and a moment later he blazed a shot over the bar as the Sky Blues almost snatched the lead.
Corica’s men pressed forward for a winner but it was City who found it with a late break, in which Leckie drove a shot in off the post.
Sydney FC turn their attention to next week’s Sydney Derby.
Sydney FC: 1. Andrew REDMAYNE, 2. James DONACHIE, 4. Alex WILKINSON ©, 6. Mustafa AMINI, 8. Paulo RETRE, 10. Milos NINKOVIC (22. Max BURGESS79’), 14. Adam LE FONDRE (9. BOBÔ 59’), 17. Anthony CACERES, 23. Rhyan GRANT, 25. Callum TALBOT (5. Connor O’TOOLE 59’), 27. Elvis KAMSOBA (11. Kosta BARBAROUSES 69’).
Unused Subs: 20. Tom HEWARD-BELLE (GK), 3. Ben WARLAND, 12. Trent BUHAGIAR.
Yellow Cards: Grant 41’, O’Toole 66’, Barbarouses 92’.
Red Cards: None.
Melbourne City FC: 1. Thomas GLOVER (GK), 2. Scott GALLOWAY (3. Scott JAMIESON 46’), 4. Nuno PEREIRA REIS, 5. Rostyn GRIFFITHS (23. Marco TILIO 60’), 6. Carl JENKINSON, 7. Mathew LECKIE, 9. Jamie MACLAREN (17. Stefan COLAKOVSKI 93’), 10. Florin BERENGUER-BOHRER (14. Tsubasa ENDO 82’), 15. Andrew NABBOUT, 18. Connor METCALFE, 22. Curtis GOOD.
Subs: 33. Matthew SUTTON (GK), 16. Taras GOMULKA, 36. Kerrin STOKES.
Yellow Cards: Berenguer 72’, MacLaren 73’.
Red Cards: None.
Venue: Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.
Referee: Chris Beath.
