Sydney FC has drawn 2-2 away to Wellington Phoenix in a highly entertaining encounter at Westpac Stadium.
Sydney FC 2 (Le Fondre 14’, Own Goal 56′) draw w. Wellington Phoenix 2 (Piscopo 26’, Davila 37’)
Sydney FC has drawn 2-2 away to Wellington Phoenix in a highly entertaining encounter at Westpac Stadium.
Moments That Mattered
1. Le Fondre Goal – 14’ – Alfie gets first to a ball he had no right to, finishing delightfully first time past an advancing Marinovic.
2. Piscopo Goal – 26’ – Ball springs the offside trap to square to Piscopo for the equaliser at the back post.
3. Davila Goal – 37’ – A cross from the right is met on the half volley by Davila as the home side takes the lead.
4. Taylor Own Goal – 57’ – Wellington’s captain falls on top of Brattan’s dangerous free-kick and deflects it in to see the match squared once again.
5. Davila Chance – 73’ – Cacace goes on a mazy run to square to Davila, only for the Wellington winger to botch an open goal chance.
6. Ninkovic Chance – 80’ – Caceres plays a peach of a ball in behind for Ninkovic but the midfield maestro can only find the side netting with a fizzing effort.
7. Buhagiar Chance – 88’ – A thumping first time volley narrowly misses the top left hand corner late in the contest.
The Sky Blues got off to another quick start with Le Fondre bagging his eleventh of the campaign on the quarter hour mark, stretching to loop the ball past the Wellington keeper.
This looked to spring the home side into action and they took the lead after striking twice within ten minutes through Piscopo and Davila.
A revitalised Sydney FC hit the ascendancy following the restart with the pressure telling shortly after through an own goal from Wellington’s skipper Taylor, squaring the ledger once more.
Davila should have done better with a chance with around 15 minutes to go but it was mainly the Sky Blues who looked to find an opening.
However, it wasn’t to be with the sides sharing a point a piece in a highly entertaining encounter. Corica’s men are now unbeaten in eight games, extending their lead at the summit to six points.
A huge top of the table clash awaits the side next Sunday night as they face Melbourne City at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.
What They Said
Steve Corica: “Both teams play very similar, we started well but they came back into the game well.
“Ninko didn’t train all of last week so we were only going to use him is we had to.
“All in all in a good point claimed away from home in what is a difficult place to come to.”
Sydney FC: 1. Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), 4. Alex WILKINSON, 5. Alexander BAUMJOHANN (10. Milos NINKOVIC 55’), 6. Ryan McGOWAN, 8. Paulo RETRE (18. Luke IVANOVIC 86’), 9. Adam LeFONDRE, 11. KostaBARBAROUSES (12. Trent BUHAGIAR 75’), 16. Joel KING, 17. Anthony CACERES, 23. Rhyan GRANT, 26. Luke BRATTAN.
Subs Not Used: 20. Thomas HEWARD-BELLE (GK), 2. Patrick FLOTTMANN, 21. Harry Van Der SAAG.
Yellow Cards: 17. Anthony CACERES 45+1’, 23. Rhyan GRANT 50’, 26. Luke BRATTAN 67’.
Red Cards: None.
Wellington Phoenix: 1. Stefan MARINOVIC, 3. Luke DEVERE, 5. Matti STEINMANN, 6. Tim PAYNE, 7.Reno PISCOPO (88. Gary HOOPER 80’), 8. Cameron DEVLIN, 9. David BALL, 10. Ulises DAVILA, 11. Jaushua SOTIRIO (32. Sam SUTTON 90+3’), 13. Liberato CACACE, 27. Steven TAYLOR.
Subs Not Used: 20. Oliver SAIL (GK), 2. Liam McGING, 4. Te Atawhai HUDSON-WIHONGI, 21. Callum McCOWATT, 31. Ben WAINE.
Yellow Cards: DeVere 90+1′.
Red Cards: None.
Ground: Westpac Stadium
Referee: Chris Beath
