Sydney FC’s luck evaded them in an incredible finish to a match which saw two players sent off and two chances to secure a draw missed from the penalty spot.
The Sky Blues had already suffered the concession of a first half goal while down to ten men due to a concussion to Patrick Yazbek, before the Phoenix had Bozhidar Kraev and Nick Pennington sent off for the visitors.
Rhyan Grant’s disallowed goal for offside summed up Sydney FC’s luckless night.
Sydney FC 0 def. by Wellington Phoenix 1 (Zawada 10’)
Moments That Mattered:
ZAWADA GOAL – 10’ – With Sydney FC down to ten men as Yazbek is off with concussion, Zawada collides with Redmayne in challenging for a through ball. He is able to pounce on the loose ball and find the back of the net.
MAK SHOT SAVED – 15’ – Mak drills a low shot towards goal but Sail is able to get down low and save.
REDMAYNE SAVE – 19’ – Zawada lays it off to Ball in the box but Redmayne blocks his shot.
REDMAYNE SAVE – 33’ – Kraev goes through one on one with Redmayne but the Socceroos shot stopper comes up trumps.
GRANT GOAL DISALLOWED – 60’ – Grant volleys the ball into the roof of the net however the linesman’s flag is raised for an extremely marginal offside.
KRAEV SENT OFF – 71’ – The forward is show a red card for a second bookable offence after a foul on Segecic.
PENNINGTON SENT OFF – 86’ – Pennington is given his marching orders after a clash with Max Burgess in which he appeared to strangle the Sky Blues midfielder.
LE FONDRE MISSED PENALTY – 97’ – Shaun Evans awards a penalty after Le Fondre’s header back across goal hits the hand of Paine. But Sail dives to the left and saves from the Englishman.
LE FONDRE MISSED PENALTY – 99’ – VAR intervenes and a second penalty is awarded after Elliott blocks O’Toole’s cross with his arm. Le Fondre steps up again but puts it wide.
What They Said: Steve Corica
“They scored their goal when we had ten men with a players coming off with concussion, with the three minute rule is not very good.
“We didn’t have a chance to get a sub on and then we concede a goal.
“I haven’t had a proper look at the red cards and then we had to penalties towards the end and we didn’t take them so it’s tough and we should have got something out of the game.”
Match Report:
Sydney FC missed two penalties and had a goal chalked off for a marginal offside call, as they succumbed to bad luck and the Wellington Phoenix to lose 1-0.
Phoenix took the lead with the Sky Blues down to ten men due to a concussion to Patrick Yazbek in the 10th minute when Oskar Zawada beat Andrew Redmayne to a loose ball to fire home.
Nick Pennington and Bozhidar Kraev were both sent off for the Nix in the second half before Sydney FC were awarded two penalties for handball.
Unfortunately both were missed and the Sky Blues were unable to take anything from the game.
Sydney FC: 1. ANDREW REDMAYNE (GK) ©, 2. JAMES DONACHIE, 6. JACK RODWELL, 8. PAULO RETRE (25. JAIDEN KUCHARSKI 87’), 9. ADAM LE FONDRE, 11 ROBERT MAK, 16. PATRICK YAZBEK (19. ADRIAN SEGECIC 9’) (12. PATRICK WOOD 75’), 17. ANTHONY CACERES, 18. DIEGO CABALLO (5. CONNOR O’TOOLE 76’), 22. MAX BURGESS, 23. RHYAN GRANT.
Unused Subs: 20. TOM HEWARD-BELLE (GK), 28. JAKE GIRDWOOD-REICH.
Yellow Cards: Retre 53’, Burgess 86’.
Red Cards: None
Wellington Phoenix: 1. OLIVER SAIL, 4. SCOTT WOOTON, 6. TIM PAYNE, 7. KOSTA BARBAROUSES (13. NICK PENNINGTON 63’), 9. OSKAR ZAWADA, 10. DAVID BALL, 11. BOZHIDAR KRAEV, 12. LUCAS MAURAGIS, 14. ALEX RUFER (5. STEVEN UGARKOVIC 63’), 17. CALLAN ELLIOT, 23. CLAYTON LEWIS (31. YAN SASSE 94’).
Unused Subs: 40. ALEX PAULSEN (GK), 8. BEN OLD, 21. JOSH LAWS, 24. OSKAR VAN HATTUM.
Yellow Cards: Kraev 34’, Sail 88’.
Red Cards: Kraev 72’, Pennington 86’.
Venue: Allianz Stadium
Referee: Shaun Evans
Attendance: 13,921
