There was nothing on the line other than bragging rights but Sydney FC put in a sparkling performance in a friendly clash with Newcastle on Tuesday night, downing the Jets 2-1 in a highly entertaining contest at Macquarie University.
There was nothing on the line other than bragging rights but Sydney FC put in a sparkling performance in a friendly clash with Newcastle on Tuesday night, downing the Jets 2-1 in a highly entertaining contest at Macquarie University.
With Newcastle gearing up for its AFC Champions League campaign and the Sky Blues preparing for their upcoming trip to China, both teams went into the game looking for a strong showing but it was the hosts that found their feet more quickly, and an always threatening John Aloisi found the net after 24 minutes.
Sydney skipper, Steve Corica combined with Alex Brosque inside the Newcastle penalty area and their neat interplay laid on the opportunity for an in-form Aloisi who never looked like missing, despite being under pressure from the advancing Ante Covic.
The match was being played with great pace and intensity by both sides and six minutes after Sydney opened the scoring the Jets should have replied, but Jesse Pinto was off target with his open header from inside six yards, spurning his team-s best chance of the opening half.
Despite making several changes, Sydney continued to control the tempo after the restart, and on the hour doubled its advantage when Covic failed to deal with a skidding Shannon Cole free kick which beat the fumbling Newcastle custodian from just outside the area.
Former Sky Blue youth player, Sean Rooney entered the fray just after Cole-s goal and would-ve had one of his own ten minutes later but for the flailing legs of Clint Bolton.
The Jets didn-t have to wait long to get on the board however, with Donny De Groot catching out the home side-s defence on the break and cutting the deficit in half with a neat chip over the advancing Sydney keeper.
With around ten minutes remaining Rooney should have levelled the ledger after Bolton was felled on the edge of his own area in a questionable challenge that went un-whistled. The ball dropped at the feet of the former Sydney star but his shot was well blocked by a determined Simon Colosimo, and the follow up effort went wide.
Bolton was called on to come to the rescue two minutes later, with his one-handed reflex save maintaining Sydney-s advantage, and that was the last time the net was threatened, with the Sky Blue brigade taking a well earned victory and warming up in style for their upcoming clash with Shanghai Shenhua.
The Sydney squad, under the guidance of Tony Popovic will face the Chinese giant in Shanghai on February 28.
Match Detail
Sydney FC 2 (Aloisi 24′, Cole 60′)
Newcastle Jets 1 (De Groot 72′)
Sydney FC: 20. Ivan NECEVSKI [gk] (1. Clint BOLTON [gk] 46′), 4. Simon COLOSIMO, 6. Matthew JURMAN (5. Mitchell PRENTICE 46′), 7. Rhyan GRANT (Zach CAIRNCROSS 46′), 8. Stuart MUSIALIK (17. Steve LUSTICA 89′), 10. Steve CORICA [c] (16. Chris PAYNE 76′), 12. Shannon COLE (11. KofiDANNING 66′), 13. Brendan GAN (Antony GOLEC 46′), 14. Alex BROSQUE, 15.Terry MCFLYNN, 23. John ALOISI.
Substitutes not used: 19. Luke AUSTIN.
Yellow Cards: nil.
Red Cards: nil.
Goals: John ALOISI 24′, Shannon COLE 60′.
Newcastle Jets: 1. Ante COVIC [gk], 2. Adam GRIFFITHS, 3. Adam D’APUZZO, 6. Benjamin KANTAROVSKI, 8. Matt THOMPSON, 10. Donny DE GROOT (18. Peter HAYNES 79′), 11. Tarek ELRICH, 12. Jobe WHEELHOUSE, 15. Antun KOVACIC, 15. Fabio VIGNAROLI (14. Sean ROONEY 60′), 19. Jesse PINTO (Brodie MOOY 66′).
Substitutes not used: 7. Nik TSATTALIOS, 20. Ben KENNEDY [gk].
Yellow Cards: Adam D’APUZZO 31′.
Red Cards: nil.
Goals: Donny DE GROOT 72′.
Referee: Kris Griffiths-Jones.
