Sydney FC have been left devastated by two late Adelaide United goals which stole the three points for the visitors, after a comfortable Sky Blues looked set to win a crucial match.
Sydney FC 2 (Grant 6’, Buhagiar 62’) def. by Adelaide United 3 (Goodwin 36’, 90’+5’, Blackwood 89’)
Moments That Mattered:
GRANT GOAL – 6’ – A fantastic in-swinging ball from Caceres to Rhyan Grant at the back post is volleyed home by the kid from Canowindra.
BUHAGIAR CHANCE – 12’ – Buhagiar gets into an area free on the left after a ball through from Talbot, but he drags his shot wide from a narrow angle.
BUHAGIAR CHANCE – 16’ – A superbly weighted pass from Ninkovic puts Buhagiar in behind but his shot is saved by the legs of Gauci.
BUHAGIAR CHANCE – 30’ – The striker is played into a channel by Yazbek, digs the ball out from beneath his foot and drills a shot low which Gauci gets a hand to save.
GOODWIN GOAL – 36’ – Goodwin draws away at the back post and heads home a Lopez cross.
BUHAGIAR GOAL – 62’ – Buhagiar is released by Retre and hits a left foot shot across Gauci into the top left corner.
REDMAYNE SAVE – 74’ – Kitto shoots from the edge of the box and Redmayne is positioned well to save.
LE FONDRE CHANCE – 80’ – A fabulous ball from Grant over the top to Le Fondre is taken on the chest by the Englishman but his left foot shot is saved low down.
BLACKWOOD GOAL – 89’ – Blackwood heads home a Goodwin free kick from close range.
GOODWIN GOAL – 90’+5’ – A long ball forward isn’t cleared and Goodwin finishes with ease on the volley.
What They Said: Steve Corica: “The boys played really well for 89 minutes, then threw it away at the end.
“We needed to win that game, it was very clear, we needed the three points and we were on our way, but two bad errors cost us.
“One was a free kick, a fantastic ball from Goodwin but the other was a long ball and it was a mis-communication between two experienced players.
“But even a draw wasn’t good enough for me tonight.
“We deserved to win the game by far and created way more chances and played better football than them, but football is a strange game and we’ve come away with nothing, so congratulations to them.
“We need a miracle now [to qualify for Finals] we’ve got two games left and everyone else has got three or four.
“So we’ll just concentrate on the last two games when we get back from Vietnam and try to pick up six points but it’s in everyone else’s hands.”
Match Report
Sydney FC’s chase for the Isuzu Ute A-League Finals series will go down to the wire after two late goals from Adelaide United stole victory for the Reds at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.
The Sky Blues looked on course for a second consecutive win, dominating proceedings at 2-1 as well as creating a hatful of guilt-edged chances.
Rhyan Grant opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a smart volley before Craig Goodwin equalized 30 minutes later.
Sydney FC were back in front midway through the second half when Buhagiar struck an accurate left foot shot into the top corner.
It stayed 2-1 until the 89th minute, but with the Sky Blues looking comfortable George Blackwood popped up in the six yard box to head home.
As Sydney FC went looking for a late winner Goodwin pounced with a counter-attack to take the points back to South Australia.
Sydney FC: 1. Andrew REDMAYNE, 3. Ben WARLAND, 4. Alex WILKINSON, 8. Paulo RETRE, 10. Milos NINKOVIC (22. Max BURGESS 70’), 12. Trent BUHAGIAR (15. Luciano NARSINGH 83’), 14. Adam LE FONDRE, 17. Anthony CACERES, 23. Rhyan GRANT, 25. Callum TALBOT, 32. Patrick YAZBEK (9. BOBÔ 90’).
Unused Subs: 20. Tom HEWARD-BELLE (GK), 5. Connor O’TOOLE, 6. Mustafa AMINI, 35. Liam MCGING.
Yellow Cards: Grant 43’, Ninkovic 57’, Yazbek 79’.
Red Cards: None.
Adelaide United: 46. Joe GAUCI, 10. ISAIS, 11. Craig GOODWIN, 15. Hiroshi IBUSUKI (14. George BLACKWOOD 79’), 20. Zach CLOUGH (7. Ryan KITTO 70’), 21. Javier LOPEZ, 25. Lachlan BARR, 27. Joshua CAVALLO (6. Louis D’ARRIGO 90’+2’), 28. Juan LOPEZ (16. Nathan KONSTANDOPOULOUS 70’), 41. Alexandar POPOVIC, 77. Lachlan BROOK (31. Bernado OLIVEIRA 46’).
Subs: 50. Steven HALL.
Yellow Cards: Goodwin 40’, Cavallo 66’, Popovic 79’.
Red Cards: None.
Venue: Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.
Referee: Alex King.
