Sydney FC’s Socceroo striker Alex Brosque showed he is going to be a trump card this season as he scored two goals and terrorized the Perth Glory defence in a comprehensive 3-0 victory at WIN Stadium tonight. AUDIO interview included.
Sydney FC-s Socceroo striker Alex Brosque showed he is going to be a trump card this season as he scored two goals and terrorized the Perth Glory defence in a comprehensive 3-0 victory at WIN Stadium tonight.
Brosque, and his Sydney FC and Socceroo team mate David Carney, were in tremendous form, running at defenders and carving the Glory to pieces to send the defending defending Hyundai A-League champions into the semi finals.
Brosque and Carney have both found good early season form and with Australia due to face Kuwait in 10 days they will also take their games into the international arena.
Sasho Petrovski scored the third goal for Sydney FC after Brosque-s first half double to round out the scoring.
Sydney FC coach Terry Butcher continued to rotate his squad, making three changes from the team that drew 0-0 in Auckland last weekend. Into the starting side came Steve Corica, Petrovski and Nikolai Topor-Stanley with Robbie Middleby and David Zdrilic moving back to the bench.
Jeremy Brockie made an unexpected return from injury and he took a place on the Sydney FC alongside goalkeeper Justin Pasfield.
Butcher also shifted Socceroo Mark Milligan into a holding midfield alongside Terry McFlynn in front of the back four made up of Iain Fyfe, Topor-Stanley, Mark Rudan and Alvin Ceccoli.
Sydney FC dominated the early exchanges and applied plenty of pressure through a series of corners that presented Rudan with two chances inside the opening 15 minutes but Perth ‘keeper Andrew Crews was up to the task on both occasions.
The early pressure reaped a reward in the 26th minute when Brosque opened the scoring and followed it up with a second goal 60 seconds later to make it 2-0.
The first goal was thanks to an exquisite slide rule pass from Carney, which put Brosque on goal and he slid the ball under the body of the advancing Crews to the delight of the healthy crowd of 6634.
The Socceroo striker then doubled the lead with another inch perfect finish after Petrovski squeezed through a pass give Brosque his second one-on-one and he made no mistake.
Sydney FC went to the break leading 2-0 and could easily have added to the score early in the second half with Petrovski, Milligan and Carney all coming close immediately following half time.
The third goal did eventually come via the head of Petrovski and once again it was Carney the provider, beating two players down the left flank before hitting the striker with a pin-point cross.
The victory sent Sydney FC to the top of Group B and after amassing 12 points they will also host the final, should they make it past Adelaide United next weekend, after scoring more points than the winner of Group A – the Central Coast Mariners.
Sydney FC will return to WIN Stadium to play Adelaide United in the Pre Season Cup semi final on Friday night while Newcastle and Central Coast will meet in the other semi final.
The Sydney FC v Adelaide United game kicks off at 7.30pm with tickets available at 9am Tuesday through all Ticketek outlets.
Match details:
Sydney FC (Alex Brosque 26, 27, Saso Petrovski 57) d Perth Glory
WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Referee: Srebre Delovski
Crowd: 6634
Sydney FC
1. Clint Bolton
2. Iain Fyfe
3. Alvin Ceccoli
4. Mark Rudan
10. Steve Corica
11. Sasho Petrovski
12. David Carney
14. Alex Brosque
15. Terry McFlynn
16. Mark Milligan
21. Nikolai Topor-Stanley
Substitutes:
7. Robbie Middleby on for 14. Alex Brosque (75th minute)
9. David Zdrilic on for 10. Steve Corica (61st minute)
13. Jeremy Brockie on for 11. Sasho Petrovski (82nd minute)
20. Justin Pasfield (gk) did not play
Yellow cards: nil
Perth Glory
30. Andrew Crews
2. Ryan Townsend
3. David Tarka
5. Jamie Harnwell
8. David Micevski
12. Leo Bertos
13. Ante Kovacevic
15. Mark Robertson
16. Adrian Webster
17. Stuart Young
19. Naum Sekulovski
Substitutes:
10. Bobby Despotovski on for 16. Adrian Webster (68th minute)
18. Josip Magdic on for 15. Mark Robertson (68th minute)
40. Andy Petterson (gk) did not play
Yellow cards: Adrian Webster 53.
