A Sydney FC bombardment of the Adelaide United goal wasn’t enough for the Sky Blues as the Reds held on for a point in an entertaining 2-2 draw at Allianz Stadium.
Steve Corica’s men had 28 shots on goal – 14 of which were blocked by the ten man Reds – as former Sky Blue Harry Van der Saag nabbed a equaliser for the visitors following Lolley and substitute Wood’s brace.
Sydney FC 2 (Joe Lolley 48’, Patrick Wood 52’) drew with Adelaide United 2 (Ryan Kitto 13’, Harry Van der Saag 58’)
Moments That Mattered:
GURD COMES CLOSE (11’) – The young Sydney defender can’t quite direct a whipped Luke Brattan ball goalward as Adelaide United scrap to clear in the six-yard box.
KITTO GOAL (13’) – Defender Ryan Kitto slaloms neatly towards goal to finish smartly with the outside of his left boot past Andrew Redmayne.
IBUSUKI RED CARD (40’) – Referee Daniel Elder shows the Adelaide United striker the red card after a high challenge on Anthony Caceres.
LOLLEY GOAL (48’) –The winger cuts in from the left wing to play a lovely one-two with Anthony Caceres at the top of the box and finishes calmy into the bottom right corner.
WOOD GOAL (52’) –Second-half substitute Patrick Wood taps-in at the back post after Rhyan Grant heads back across goal inside the area to assist.
WOOD GOES CLOSE (70’) – The striker is close to putting the Sky Blues ahead but Adelaide goalkeeper Joe Gauci is out quickly to save the one-on-one effort.
What They Said – Steve Corica:
“I’m very pleased with the way we played and the way we got back into the game, [we] scored some very good goals,” said Corica.
“Kitto’s goal was a very good one, he ran through but defensively that’s a bit weak and for me the second one, when we were in front, you have to be ruthless and you have to really defend the box.
“We have to defend better, so that’s the key for next week. We’ve got a couple of experienced centre-backs out but we have to defend better.”
Match Report:
The Sky Blues put on a dominant display at home to Adelaide United in Sydney, however the hosts could not find the finishing touch to claim a winner as the Reds hung-on late.
Sydney enjoyed most of the possession with 67% of the ball and peppered the Adelaide goal with 28 shots during the match, but Steve Corica’s men couldn’t quite find a winner.
The visitors opened the scoring in the 13th minute as left-back Ryan Kitto dribbled precisely into the box to finish into the bottom-right corner of the net.
Sky Blues striker Adam Le Fondre went off injured in the 20th minute as the veteran was replaced by youngster Patrick Wood who dropped deep to use his frame to hold-off defenders and link the play, creating for fellow attackers Joe Lolley and Róbert Mak.
Adelaide would go down to ten men late in the first half as referee Daniel Elder deemed Hiroshi Ibusuki’s high challenge on Anthony Caceres a red card in the 40th minute.
After the half-time break, Joe Lolley grabbed the equaliser for the home side – playing an intricate one-two with Anthony Caceres just inside the area to produce a composed finish with his left foot past Adelaide’s Joe Gauci.
The Sky Blues quickly found themselves in front in the 52nd minute as Luke Brattan lofted a ball into the box for a late-arriving Rhyan Grant who headed smartly across goal for Patrick Wood to tap-home at the back post.
Sydney continued to threat down the wings through Joe Lolley and Rhyan Grant, however the former Sky Blue Van der Saag headed-in for Adelaide against the run of play in the 58th minute as Craig Goodwin’s cross deflected into his path.
Wood went close with twenty minutes remaining but goalkeeper Joe Gauci was out quickly to squander the striker’s one-on-one opportunity.
The Sky Blues will take confidence from another dominating attacking display as Steve Corica’s side travel to Macarthur on Saturday.
Sydney FC: 1. Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), 2. James DONACHIE, 9. Adam LE FONDRE (12. Patrick WOOD 20’), 10. Joseph LOLLEY, 11. Róbert MAK (19. Adrian Segecic 62’), 16. Patrick YAZBEK (22. Max BURGESS 62’), 17. Anthony CACERES (21. Alexander PARSONS 90+1’), 18. Diego CABALLO, 23. Rhyan GRANT, 26. Luke BRATTAN, 29. Aaron GURD.
Unused Subs: 20. Thomas HEWARD-BELLE (GK) 8. Paulo RETRE, 28. Jake GIRDWOOD-REICH.
Yellow Cards: Max Burgess 65’, Patrick Wood 75’, Anthony Caceres 87’
Red Cards: None.
Adelaide United: 46. Joe GAUCI (GK), 2. Harry VAN DER SAAG (66. Nestory IRANKUNDA 62’), 3. Benjamin WARLAND, 6. Louis D’ARRIGO (28. JUANDE 73’), 7. Ryan KITTO, 8. ISAÍAS, 9. Hiroshi IBUSUKI, 11. Craig GOODWIN, 21. Javi LÓPEZ, 26. Benjamin HALLORAN (14. George BLACKWOOD 90+6’), 41. Alexandar POPOVIC.
Unused Subs: 1. James DELIANOV (GK), 35. Luke JOVANOVIĆ, 47. Asad KASUMOVIĆ, 55. Ethan ALAGICH.
Yellow Cards: Alexandar Popovic 80’, Carl Veart 88’, Benjamin Halloran 90+6’
Red Cards: Hiroshi Ibusuki 40’
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Daniel Elder
