Juninho saw his new Sydney FC teammates mount a late fightback before going down 3-2 to Newcastle Jets at Parramatta Stadium.
Juninho saw his new Sydney FC teammates mount a late fightback before going down 3-2 to Newcastle Jets at Parramatta Stadium.
Ruben Zadkovich and Ufuk Talay scored two excellent goals in a five-minute spell to spark Sydney FC into life but Branko Culina’s depleted team had given Newcastle Jets too much of a head start in the 2007 Pre-Season Cup Play-Offs game.
Juninho had barely taken his seat following his pre-match appearance when, in the fifth minute, Newcastle Jets scored the opening goal of the game. Joel Griffiths got behind the home side’s defence and finished well, chipping the ball over Clint Bolton.
Early in second half Newcastle Jets made it 2-0 through Scott Tunbridge, who had been on the pitch for three minutes after replacing another substitute, Jorge Drovandi. Griffiths got his second and Newcastle Jets’ third goal in the 76th minute, finding himself with the freedom of the field as Sydney FC got caught with too many players committed forward.
Zadkovich pulled back a goal for Sydney FC shortly after the restart, driving the ball home after it bobbled around inside the box. Not long afterwards Peter Green awarded a free kick to Sydney FC for a rough challenge on David Zdrilic by Steve Eagleton. Talay’s shot bamboozled Newcastle Jets goalkeeper Ante Covic, with the away team’s custodian not moving a muscle as the midfielder’s shot fizzed into the top right-hand corner.
Talay almost salvaged a draw for Sydney FC in the dying minutes but his half volley went just over Covic’s crossbar as Newcastle Jets hanged on to register a 3-2 victory.
Sydney FC 2 (Ruben Zadkovich 79′, Ufuk Talay 83′)
Newcastle Jets 3 (Joel Griffiths 5′, 76′, Scott Tunbridge 56′)
Date: Saturday, August 4, 2007
Venue: Parramatta Stadium, Parramatta
Referee: Peter Green
Crowd: 2611
Sydney FC: 1. Clint BOLTON (gk), 2. Iain FYFE (3. Nikolas TSATTALIOS 67′), 4. Mark RUDAN, 6. Tony POPOVIC (captain), 7. Robbie MIDDLEBY, 9. David ZDRILIC, 11. Brendon SANTALAB (8. Ruben ZADKOVICH 67′), 14. Alex BROSQUE, 15. Terry McFLYNN, 19. Michael ENFIELD, 23. Ufuk TALAY.
Substitutes not used: 30. Matthew NASH (gk), 27. Robbie CATTANACH.
Yellow cards: Tony Popovic 21′, Brendon Santalab 47′.
Newcastle Jets: 1. Ante COVIC (gk), 3. Jade NORTH (captain), 4. Steve EAGLETON, 6. Andrew DURANTE, 8. Matt THOMPSON (7. Jorge DROVANDI 8′ (15. Scott TUNBRIDGE 53′), 9. Joel GRIFFITHS, 11. Tarek ELRICH, 13. Adam D’APUZZO, 14. Jobe WHEELHOUSE, 17. Troy HEARFIELD (12. Paul KOHLER 89′), 18. Noel SPENCER.
Substitutes not used: 30. Justin PASFIELD (gk).
Yellow cards: Adam D’Apuzzo 9′, Jobe Wheelhouse 29′, Steve Eagleton 82′.
