Sydney FC’s young defence will their work cut out on Saturday as they look to spring an upset away against Blacktown City at Lilly Homes Stadium.
Blacktown City FC v Sydney FC, 7pm Saturday at Lilly Homes Stadium
Sydney FC’s young defence will their work cut out on Saturday as they look to spring an upset away against Blacktown City at Lilly Homes Stadium.
Strikers Jeremy Cox and Hassan Jalloh have been great for the Young Sky Blues this season but they will need to find the back of the net this week if Sydney FC are to stand a chance.
Duro Dragacevic in the Sydney goal is also set for one of his biggest tests yet, as the Sky Blues be without Jerry Skotadis who is suspended.
Blacktown City will be out to make a statement when they host side the Sky Blues.
City took home all three points in an eight goal thriller against Rockdale in Round 9 with Mitch Mallia scoring a hat trick.
Despite the win, coach Mark Crittenden will be concerned with his side’s defence which has conceded seven goals in four weeks after starting the campaign with four straight clean sheets.
In attack Blacktown have little to worry about with Mallia, Joey Gibbs and Devante Clut all a threat going forward.
Blacktown will have home ground favouritism and it will be a major challenge for Sydney FC but stranger things have happened in football so an upset shouldn’t be written off.
U20’s – Blacktown City v Sydney FC, Saturday 5.00pm at Lily’s Football Centre
An early contender for match of the season in the NPL NSW Men’s 20’s campaign takes place on Saturday afternoon when Blacktown City host Sydney FC in a top of the table affair at Lily’s Football Centre.
The two competition heavyweights enter the encounter one point and four points behind leaders Sutherland Sharks respectively and with the reigning champions slipping up for the first time in eight matches last round both Blacktown and Sydney have received a timely reminder of their title ambitions.
John Carnevale’s Blacktown lost the opening two matches of the season but have won seven in a row since and have looked the most likely challenger to Sutherland’s supremacy. A consistently improving and streetwise outfit, City come into the match on the back of two clean sheets and a hat trick for top scorer Lachlan Rose against Rockdale City Suns in round nine’s 5-0 hammering.
City are yet to drop a single point at their home ground so far this season but opponents Sydney are solid candidates to scupper that record. The Sky Blues are unbeaten in their last seven matches, are improving in the defensive third with two clean sheets in their last three, and boast the competition’s deadliest strike force in Hamish Lamberton (11 goals) and Jordan Swibel (7).
Sydney FC’s night of nights the Sky Blue Ball in on Saturday 19 May at The Star, Sydney! Book your table now, or purchase gallery seating for only $25 and see your Sky Blue stars rewarded for all their achievements in 2017/18!
