Sydney FC have narrowly lost to league leaders Melbourne City 3-2 away at AAMI Park.
An entertaining first half produced four of the five goals in the game before a later free kick from Diego Caballo reduced the deficit.
Sydney FC 2 (Mak 29’, Caballo 90’+6’) def. by Melbourne City 3 (Maclaren 5’, 31’, Tilio 12’)
Moments That Mattered
MACLAREN GIVES CITY THE LEAD 5’- Maclaren heads home from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner after Berenguer’s cross
TILIO GOAL – 12’ – Tilio breaks and gets as far as the edge of the box where he hits a left footed shot from outside the box to the top right corner.
MAK PULLS ONE BACK – 29’ – Lolley releases Mak behind the City back four and he finishes into the corner from the angle.
MACLAREN RESTORES THE TWO GOAL LEAD – 31’ – Grant gives the ball away to Tilio who cuts the ball back to MacLaren who finishes.
CACERES GOAL DISALLOWED – 43’ – Lolley plays in Grant who pulls it back for Caceres to finish but the wing back is offside.
REDMAYNE SAVE – 90’ – Nabbout shoots right footed from the right side of the six yard box but it’s saved by Redmayne who is down extremely quickly.
CABALLO FREE-KICK GOAL – 96’ – Caballo curls a perfect free-kick over the wall and inside the City left hand post for his first Sydney FC goal.
What They Said: Luke Brattan: “We played well and dominated the game in patches but Melbourne City have been the benchmark for a couple of years now and you can’t make mistakes against them.
“Our young boys came on and gave us energy but unfortunately it wasn’t enough.”
Match Report: Sydney FC’s four game unbeaten run has come to an end against A-League leaders Melbourne City in the Victorian capital.
The Sky Blues were two down early thanks to goals from Socceroos Jamie Maclaren and Marco Tilio.
Slovakian striker Robert Mak brought Sydney FC back into it with a well taken goal on the half hour however a mistake at the back allowed Tilio to set up Maclaren for a third shortly after.
The Sky Blues created a number of good chances to come back into the game however it wasn’t to be and despite some lively interjection of Sydney FC’s young subs, only a later consolation from Diego Caballo’s free kick was possible.
Sydney FC: 1. Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), 4. Alex WILKINSON (C), 8. Paulo RETRE (3. Joel KING 64’), 10. Joe LOLLEY (21. Alex PARSONS 64’), 11. Robert MAK (12. Pat WOOD 76’), 17. Anthony CACERES, 18. Diego CABALLO, 22. Max BURGESS (25. Jaiden KURCHARSKI 76’), 23. Rhyan GRANT, 26. Luke BRATTAN, 29 Aaron GURD.
Unused Subs: 20. TOM HEWARD-BELLE (GK), 6. Jack RODWELL, 32. Matthew SCARCELLA.
Yellow Cards: Retre 56’.
Red Cards: None
Melbourne City FC: 1. Tom GLOVER (GK), 4. Nuno REIS, 6. Thomas LAM, 8. Richard VAN DER VENNE, 9. Jamie MACLAREN (15. Andrew NABBOUT 76’), 10. Florin BERENGUER, 13. Aiden O’NEILL, 14. Valon BERISHA, 23. Marco TILIO (2. Scott GALLOWAY 91’), 25. Callum TALBOT, 38. Jordan BOS.
Substitutes: 33. Matthew SUTTON (GK), 18. Jordon HALL, 36. Kerrin STOKES, 37. Max CAPUTO, 39. Emin DURAKOVIC.
Yellow Cards: van der Venne 55’, Reis 95’.
Red Cards: None
Venue: AAMI Park
Referee: Shaun Evans
Attendance: 5,189
