Sydney FC welcomed back Kyah Simon and Casey Dumont to the squad however they were unable to tame the 2014 Premiers as Perth Glory scored five goals at WIN Stadium, Wollongong.
Summary
Sydney FC 0 def by. Perth Glory 5 (Kerr 7′, 56′, 73′, Gill 25′, Foord 45+1’)
Sydney FC fell 5-0 to a rampant Perth Glory side at WIN Stadium, Wollongong in wet conditions as former Sky Blue Sam Kerr returned to haunt her old side, scoring a hat trick to seal the Glory’s tenth win of the season.
In an end to end opening period both sides had chances to score, with Renee Rollason seeing a cross-cum-shot cleared off the line, while Casey Dumont was kept busy at the other end as she twice denied the Glory the opening goal.
The deadlock was broken in the seventh minute by Kerr as the away team dominated proceedings in the first half. Sydney FC went close on another two times in the first half as Harrison hit the bar with an audacious chip before Jasmyne Spencer was denied by Arnold in the final play of the half when she broke through one on one.
The Sky Blues came out after the break looking to reduce the deficit however the Glory extended their lead in the 56th minute before Kerr capped off her hat trick in the 73rd minute.
Kyah Simon came off the bench to play her first competitive football since her ACL injury over one year ago but she couldn’t inspire a fight back as Sydney FC now look to their final match of the regular season at home to the Newcastle Jets at Lambert Park on Saturday 6th December with a semi-final place still hanging in the balance.
What They Said
Dan Barrett: “We gave them room, we gave them space and we gave them time and they hurt us. I think the first 15 minutes of the second half coming out of half time we were a lot better and seemed more connected with the ball and definitely did better jobs without it so that’s a positive but we’ve got a crunch game next week and we will to turn it around.
“It’s fantastic to have Kyah and Casey back. They’re still fitting in again because they’ve been out for such a lengthy time but hopefully we can see more of them again next week. We just have to win next week, we’ll work hard again this week and do whatever we have to do to get three points.”
Goals
7’ KERR GOAL – Caitlin Foord finds space on the left flank. She bursts into the area before cutting it back to the far post where Sam Kerr slides in the put the ball in the back of the net.
25’ GILL PENALTY – After being pushed by Alesha Clifford while contesting an aerial ball in the area Gill steps up to coolly dispatch the ball into the top corner from the penalty spot.
45’ FOORD GOAL – A loose ball falls to Foord outside the area and, with time and space, she fires in a fierce low drive that nestles into the far corner of the net.
56’ KERR GOAL – Sam Kerr rushes at the Sky Blues defence with pace, shrugging off two challenges, before slotting the ball into the net from inside the box.
73’ KERR HAT TRICK – Found on the edge of the area with no one around her Kerr is able to send a delicate chip over Dumont’s head and into the net to complete her hat trick and earn her the player of the match award.
Other Key Moments
4’ OFF THE LINE – Servet Uzunlar’s driven free kick causes a goal mouth scramble with the ball falling to Renee Rollason inside the box. From an acute angle Rollason fires towards goal and the ball is cleared off the line after cannoning off the far post.
5’ DUMONT SAVE – May surges into the Sydney FC area uncontested however Casey Dumont is quick off her line to dive at the feet of the Glory striker and smother the danger.
16’ HARRISON HITS THE BAR – Driving forward Amy Harrison spots the keeper off her line and tries an audacious chip from distance. The ball looks destined to land in the net however it clatters the cross bar and goes out.
37’ SPENCER HEADER – Sam Johnson whips in a curling cross from deep. She finds the head of Spencer however the diminutive forward can’t generate enough power to put the ball past Arnold in goal.
45’ SPENCER CHANCE – Using all her pace Spencer eludes the Glory defence and goes one on one with Arnold however the Glory keeper stands tall to deny the American in the final chance of the half.
62’ DUMONT SAVE – Sam Kerr breaks after being found by a lovely ball however Dumont is again quick off her line to deny the striker.
63’ MCCALLUM HITS THE BAR – With time and space to shoot McCallum unleashed towards goal and her curling effort smacks the bar before being cleared.
66’ KYAH SIMON RETURNS – After being absent for over a year with an ACL injury Kyah Simon makes her return to competitive football as she comes on for Trudy Camilleri.
67’ HARRISON SHOT – Harrison takes on the Glory defence before unleashing a wicked strike that Arnold has to tip over the bar.
86’ DUMONT SAVE – Casey Dumont fells Sam Kerr for the second time in the second half as she produces a fantastic diving save to tip Kerr’s goal bound shot to safety.
Team News
Sydney FC v Perth Glory
Ground: WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Referee: Kate Jacewicz
Head Coach Daniel Barrett welcomed back Casey Dumont and Kyah Simon from injury with Dumont returning straight to the starting eleven while Simon had to settle for a place on the bench. It was otherwise the same starting side that thumped the Lady Reds 5-0 in the Sky Blues previous Westfield W-League match with Olivia Price the only absentee from that match.
Sydney FC: 1. Casey DUMONT (gk), 2. Teresa POLIAS (c), 4. Alesha CLIFFORD, 5. Jasmyne SPENCER, 6. Servet UZUNLAR, 7. Nicola BOLGER, 8. Amy HARRISON, 10. Renee ROLLASON, 13. Trudy CAMILLERI (66’ Kyah SIMON), 15. Teigen ALLEN (82’ Chloe LOGARZO), 16. Samantha JOHNSON (78’ Elizabeth RALSTON).
Subs Not Used: 21. Sian MCLAREN (gk).
