Sydney FC 1 (Barbarouses 53’) drew w. Melbourne City FC 1 (McLaren 90’+6’)
Sydney FC have been denied a win by a late penalty in the final seconds of a pulsating match against Melbourne City at Leichhardt Oval.
Moments that Mattered:
- BRATTAN’S DELIGHTFUL CHIP – 7’ – Brattan receives the ball on the edge of the box and places a perfectly weighted chip towards the top corner which a back-peddling Glover gets to at the last minute to tip over the bar.
- GRANT HITS THE POST – 32’ – A superb ball from Brattan finds Grant on the right. The full back cushions the ball to Barbarouses who lays it back to him; he takes a touch and shoots low but Glover gets a hand to it and onto the post.
- REDMAYNE TWO GREAT SAVES – 49’ – McLaren goes clear from a long ball and shoots but Redmayne is down brilliantly to deny him and then gets a hand to the follow up shot.
- BARBAROUSES GOAL – 53’ – A Caceres cross is spilled by Glover and falls to Barbarouses who smashes it goalward. Good clears from behind the line and after another goal-line clearance and the ball hitting the post, the referee awards the goal for the initial shot.
- NINKOVIC CHANCE – 63’ – Brattan finds Ninkovic free in the box, he takes a touch and fires from an angle but Glover somehow gets an arm to it.
- BRILLIANT SAVE REDMAYNE – 75’ – A right wing cross finds McLaren who shoots from close range but Redmayne is perfectly positioned to direct the ball over the bar with his body.
- MCLAREN PENALTY GOAL – 90’ + 6’ – Tilio goes down in the box and after a VAR intervention and spot kick is awarded. McLaren hits it high into the net.
A late penalty has denied Sydney FC the chance to move into second place on the A-League ladder after the Sky Blues dominated and led until the final stages.
Kosta Barbarouses scored a second half goal after goalkeeper Tom Glover had dropped the ball and Curtis Good failed to clear off the line.
Glover redeemed himself later saving from Ninkovic and at the other end a fabulous double save from Redmayne denied McLaren.
However as City pushed for the equaliser in the final minutes Tilio picked up a loose pass from the Sky Blues and was brought down in the box to give the visitors a point.
What They Said Steve Corica: “Im pretty gutted but there’s a lot of positives to come from the game. I’m pleased with the way we played up until 60 or 70 minutes.
“Redmayne made a lot of great saves. I’m happy with the performance but disappointed with the result.
“I think we dominated with the ball for long periods of that game. There was some good attacking football, I’m gutted we didn’t get the three points.
“We’ve played three games in six days and the boys have been outstanding physically and mentally.”
Sydney FC: 1. Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), 4. Alex WILKINSON, , 6. Ryan McGOWAN, 8. Paulo RETRE, 9. BOBÔ (18. Luke IVANOVIC 66’), 10. Milos NINKOVIC (5. Alexander BAUMJOHANN, 80’), 11. Kosta BARBAROUSES (12. Trent BUHAGIAR 80’), 16. Joel KING, 17. Anthony CACERES, 23. Rhyan GRANT, 26. Luke BRATTAN.
Subs: 20. Thomas HEWARD-BELLE (GK), 3. Benjamin WARLAND, 21. Harry VAN DER SAAG, 33. Patrick WOOD.
Yellow Cards: Retre 29’, Barbarouses 65’, .
Red Cards: None
Melbourne City: 1. Tom GLOVER (gk), 2. Scott GALLOWAY, 7. Rostyn GRIFFITHS, 9. Jamie MACLAREN, 10. Florin BERENGUER-BOHRER (4. Nuno REIS 66’), 11. Craig NOONE (23.Marco TILIO 75’), 15.Andrew NABBOUT (17.Stefan COLAKOVSKI 51’), 18.Connor METCALFE, 19.Ben GARUCCIO, 20.Adrian LUNA, 22.Curtis GOOD,
Subs: 33.Matthew SUTTON (gk), 14. Naoki TSUBAKI, 16.Taras GOMULKA, 43.Alec MILLS.
Yellow Cards: Berenguer 36’.
Red Cards: None.
Venue: Leichhardt Oval.
Referee: Alex King.
