Ten man Sydney FC fell victim to Macarthur FC despite starting well at Allianz Stadium and could not find a way back into the game after Joe Lolley’s red card for a mistimed but not malicious challenge.
Sydney FC 0 def by Macarthur FC 3 (Arabuli 46’, Davila 71’, Arabuli 89’)
Moments That Mattered:
LOLLEY CLOSE TO OPENING SCORING- 7’ – An over-the-top ball finds Joe Lolley, and the English winger wastes no time cutting inside and beating his defender. His left footed curling effort towards the bottom-left corner is saved by the outstretched arm of Filip Kurto.
REDMAYNE KEEPS IT 0-0- 39’- An Ulises Davila free kick is fired low towards the left-hand corner of the goal, but the Sky Blue keeper is equal to it as he produces a fine save down to his right, to tip the ball past the post and out for a corner.
MACARTHUR TAKE THE LEAD- 45+2’- Craig Noone’s low cross is met at the front post by Arabuli, and he flicks it past Redmayne into the corner.
LE FONDRE INCHES AWAY- 53’- Robert Mak brilliantly created space in midfield before threading the ball through for Le Fondre on the left wing. The Englishman cut inside, and his curling effort just spun wide of the right post.
LOLLEY SENT OFF- 56’- Joe Lolley is sent off for a late challenge on Dani De Silva and Sydney FC are down to 10 men for the last half hour.
DAVILA MAKES IT TWO- 70’- A Charles M’Mombwa run and pass falls to Ulises Davila who takes a touch and from just left of the penalty spot, puts the ball in the bottom right corner.
MACARTHUR ADD A THIRD – 89’- Matt Millar finds Bachana Arabuli who side foots the ball home with a left footed finish. Macarthur have a third.
What They Said: Steve Corica
“We dominated the first half and conceded a sloppy goal right at the end. For me that was the most disappointing thing because that changed the game. We should have taken care of the counter attack.
“I think Joe Lolley’s one was a clear red card, obviously he didn’t mean it but he’s got his foot high.”
“It would be nice to have everyone fit, because then we are a very strong team, but we’re conceding too many goals and that’s been the problem this season.”
Match Report:
Sydney FC started the game on the front foot, and created the early chances, however the Macarthur defence would not break down and the lone chance early in the first half would come from a Joe Lolley effort, hit well, but saved by Kurto.
The Sky Blues would continue to create chances, even when the flow of the game evened out, and they defended well to stop Macarthur on multiple occasions. The Bulls however came close as Al-Hassan Toure fired his effort wide from close range.
Sky Blue keeper Andrew Redmayne would make a fine save 24 minutes in, as Ulises Davila would hit a left footed shot across the goal from outside the box. Redmayne was able to scramble across and stick out a right hand to keep the ball out of the net.
Redmayne would make another brilliant save to stop Ulises Davila from opening the scoring from a free kick, plunging a hand down to his right to block the Macarthur number 10’s effort. This wouldn’t be enough to see Sydney FC into half time however, as Bachana Arabuli would open the scoring in first half stoppage.
Ten minutes into the second half, Adam Le Fondre came within an inch of levelling the scores as his effort curled wide.
Things went from bad to worse for Sydney FC as Joe Lolley’s late tackle on Daniel De Silva was deemed dangerous and the Englishman was sent off for his actions.
Ulises Davila would rub salt in the wounds of the Sky Blues as his left footed strike would double Macarthur’s advantage in the 70th minute.
James Donachie would be shown a red card not long after, but VAR would intervene, and the card would be rescinded.
Sydney FC could not find a way back into this tie an in injury time Macarthur would add a third through Arabuli.
Sydney FC fought until the end but were not able to get anything out of this Christmas Eve clash with cross-town rivals Macarthur as the score ended 3-0.
Sydney FC: 1. ANDREW REDMAYNE (GK), 2. JAMES DONACHIE, 8. PAULO RETRE (28. JAKE GIRDWOOD-REICH-72’), 9. ADAM LE FONDRE (12. PATRICK WOOD- 72’), 10. JOE LOLLEY, 11 Robert Mak (25. Jaiden KUCHARSKI- 79’), 16. Patrick YAZBEK (19. Adrian SEGECIC- 59’), 17. ANTHONY CACERES, 18. DIEGO CABALLO (5. Connor O’TOOLE- 79’), 23. RHYAN GRANT (C), 27. ADRIAN VLASTELICA
Unused Subs: 20. TOM HEWARD-BELLE (GK), 21. Alex PARSONS.
Yellow Cards: James Donachie 51’
Red Cards: Joe Lolley 56’
Macarthur FC: 12. Filip KURTO (GK), 5. Jonathan ASPROPOTAMITIS, 6. Tomi USKOK, 7. Daniel DE SILVA (24. Charles M’MOMBWA,- 62’), 8. Jake HOLLMAN (27. Jerry SKOTADIS- 78’), 10. Ulises DAVILA, 13. Ivan VUJICA, 17. Craig NOONE (37. Jed DREW- 72’), 35. Al Hassan TOURE (99. Daniel ARZANI-72’), 44. Matt MILLAR.
Unused Subs: 1. Nick SUMAN (GK), 2. Jake McGING, 94. Anthony CARTER.
Yellow Cards: Jake Hollman 45’, Charles M’Mombwa 65’
Red Cards: None.
Venue: ALLIANZ STADIUM
Referee: Kurt Ams
