Adam Le Fondre marked his return to Sky Blue in style, scoring a crucial second half penalty to secure a deserved three points against Western United on Saturday afternoon.
Sydney FC 1 (Le Fondre 76’(p)) def. Western United 0
Adam Le Fondre marked his return to Sky Blue in style, scoring a crucial second half penalty to secure a deserved three points against Western United on Saturday afternoon.
Moments That Mattered:
- BARBAROUSES SHOT – 8‘ – Trent Buhagiar runs onto a ball in behind and cuts beyond his marker in the box before Kosta Barbarouses drives the loose ball at goal forcing a sharp save from Scott.
- BUHAGIAR SO CLOSE – 16’ – Trent Buhagiar takes a brilliant touch and plays it around his marker to run onto in the box, but Scott is quick off his line to smother the low shot.
- BARBAROUSES GOES CLOSE – 38’ – Kosta Barbarouses makes space in the box to shoot low at goal, but Ryan Scott is equal to it as he stretches to tip the ball around the post.
- BUHAGIAR AGAIN – 40’ – Trent Buhagiar is played in behind and fires a rising effort at goal at the near post, but Scott pushes it away.
- GUARROTXENA HEADS WIDE – 48’ – In the best chance for the home side, Guarrotxena heads wide after a great ball into the box by Imai.
- NINKOVIC CHANCE – 61’ – Milos Ninkovic weaves his way into the box before Scott pushes away his stab at goal.
- ADAM LE FONDRE SCORES – 76’ – After a lengthy VAR check, Sydney FC are awarded a penalty for a handball from Vujica, and Adam Le Fondre buries the spotkick in trademark style on his return.
- LE FONDRE CHANCE – 85’ – Picking up a cross at the far post, Le Fondre attempts to chip Scott, but the keeper gets a hand to the ball to save.
- SANCHEZ OPPORTUNITY – 90+2’ – An inventive ball over the top from Diamanti finds Sanchez who attempts a flick with his back to goal, sending the ball well wide.
Sydney FC have secured a deserved three points in Ballarat, following a 1-0 win at MARS Stadium in an early Saturday afternoon kick off.
The Sky Blues dominated possession and carved out a number of chances in both halves, amassing 15 corners in the process, with Adam Le Fondre scoring a crucial penalty in trademark style after a lengthy VAR check with a quarter of the match remaining.
Trent Buhagiar was lively in his first start since Round 6, with Kosta Barbarouses also going close from a deeper number 10 role, while the Sky Blues’ defence were rarely tested before keeping Western United’s late rally in stoppage time at bay.
Sydney FC return home for a massive week of football, contesting a huge Big Blue at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium on Wednesday night before facing crosstown rivals Western Sydney Wanderers in the final Sydney Derby of the season at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.
What they said:
Head Coach Steve Corica: “I’m really pleased, the three points are the most important thing.
“Adam scoring from the penalty spot is always nice but I think it should have been a little bit more comfortable. I thought the first half performance was really good and we created some good chances.
“We should have scored some more goals tonight but I’m very pleased. When we score early we’re a dangerous team, but it just hasn’t been working that way this season.
“I thought Trent was really good tonight as well.”
Adam Le Fondre: “It’s great to be back, it seems like not much has changed really.
“I think in the second half as well I had chances, I could have had a hattrick today, we created chances throughout the game and as a team we have to be more ruthless and put teams to bed.
“They [Western United] players were asking me where I was going to put it [the penalty], and I just said in the net.”
Sydney FC: 1. Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), 4. Alex WILKINSON, 6. Ryan MCGOWAN, 9. BOBÔ (63’ 99. Adam LE FONDRE), 10. Milos NINKOVIC (88’ 3. Ben WARLAND), 11. Kosta BARBAROUSES, 12. Trent BUHAGIAR (63’ 5. Alex BAUMJOHANN), 16. Joel KING, 17. Anthony CACERES (71’ 8. Paulo RETRE), 23. Rhyan GRANT, 26. Luke BRATTAN.
Subs: 30. Adam PAVLESIC (GK), 21. Harry VAN DER SAAG, 33. Patrick WOOD,
Yellow Cards: 90+6’ Ryan McGowan.
Red Cards: None.
Western United: 30. Ryan SCOTT (GK), 3. Brandan HAMILL, 4. Andrew DURANTE (84’ 17. Bradden INMAN), 5. Dylan PIERIAS, 6. Tomoki IMAI, 8. Lachlan WALES, 11. Connor PAIN (71’ 7. Besart BERISHA), 20. Victor SANCHEZ MATA, 22. Tomislav USKOK, 23. Alessandro DIAMANTI, 34. Iker GUARROTXENA (71’ 13. Ivan VUJICA).
Subs: 1. Filip KURTO (GK), 10. Steven LUSTICA, 21. Sebastian PASQUALI, 25. Luke DUZEL.
Yellow Cards: 8’ Tomislav Uskok, 86’ Victor Sanchez.
Red Cards: None.
Venue: MARS Stadium
Referee: Shaun Evans
