Sydney FC eased to a comfortable 5-1 win over the MacArthur Rams ahead of their first FFA Cup game of the season against Sorrento FC next Wednesday in WA.
Summary
Sydney FC 5 (Simon 7’, Naumoff 23, Antonis 32’, Burgess 51’, Lokoli-Ngoy 66’) beat MacArthur Rams 1 (Kadric 78’)
Sydney FC eased to a comfortable 5-1 win over the MacArthur Rams ahead of their first FFA Cup game of the season against Sorrento FC next Wednesday in WA.
Trialist Matt Simon opened the scoring in the 7th minute before Christopher Naumoff and Terry Antonis added to the total inside the opening 40 minute half.
Young National Youth League prospects Max Burgess and Charles Lokoli-Ngoy who both came on as second half substitutes increased the lead to 5-0 before Kadric pulled back a consolation for the Rams late in the game.
The Sky Blues fly to Perth on Tuesday next week in preparation for their round of 32 game against Sorrento.
What They Said
Graham Arnold: “It was a good hit out tonight and I’m happy with the way the boys performed. We scored five goals and I’m happy with the direction we’re heading at the moment. We’ve got the FFA Cup next week and we’ll take what we’ve learned from tonight and get ready Sorrento in Perth next Wednesday.”
Goals
7’ SIMON GOAL – Naumoff chips the ball over the top of the defence to Simon who runs clear to slot the ball past the on-rushing keeper.
23’ NAUMOFF GOAL – Naumoff breaks clear of the defence following a defence splitting pass and with time to pick his place, he calmly slots it past the keeper to double the advantage.
32’ ANTONIS GOAL – A Rams defender gives the ball away in midfield and with a 3 v 1 situation in Sydney’s favour, Simon charges forward before laying off to Antonis to fire home.
51’ BURGESS GOAL – Araujo curled in a great cross from the right that Burgess chested down before volleying home from close range.
66’ LOKOLI-NGOY GOAL – Lokoli-Ngoy is released by Antonis in space on the right and he charges forward before slotting into the bottom right.
78’ KADRIC GOAL – Kadric is played through and lobs Bouzanis to make it 5-1.
Team News
Sydney FC 5 (Simon 7’, Naumoff 23, Antonis 32’, Burgess 51’, Lokoli-Ngoy 66’) beat MacArthur Rams 1 (Kadric 78’)
Sydney FC Head Coach Graham Arnold returned to the coaching box for his first game of pre-season having missed last week’s 7-0 defeat of Earlwood Wanderers, while at the Hyundai A-League coaching summit. He made three changes to that side with Aaron Calver and Brandon O’Neill dropping to the bench and Shane Smeltz left out altogether. In came trialist Matt Simon up front with Terry Antonis and another trialist Alex Mullen filling the central midfield role. Rhyan Grant moved to right back.
Ground: Campbelltown Sports Stadium
Sydney FC: 20. Vedran JANJETOVIC (12. Anthony BOUZANIS 45’), 2. Seb RYALL (4. Zac ANDERSON 45’, 39. Charles LOKOLI-NGOY 60’), 5. Matt JURMAN (25. Aaron CALVER 45), 7. Andrew HOOLE, 8. Robert STAMBOLZIEV (35. Max BURGESS 45’), 11. Christopher NAUMOFF (37. Daniel ARUJO 45’), 16. Riley WOODCOCK, 17. Terry ANTONIS, 23. Rhyan GRANT, 36. Alex MULLEN, 40. Matt SIMON (13. Brandon O’NEILL 45’)
Subs not used: None.
MacArthur Rams: 1. Chris BERERRA, 2. Craig COOLEY, 4. Ben CORNISH, 7. Louis DUCHENSE, . Shannon HANKIN, 10. Eros BERGAMIN, 11. Aaron FARRINGDON, 12. David McMURRAY, 13. Daniel CARROZZA, 15. Joel CRAIG, 18. Gavin FORBES.
Subs: 3. Andy MATLOUB, 6. Blake BROOKER, 8. Ryan MARCHANT, 14. Mark SYMINGTON, 16. Daniel RAMIREZ, 17. Asmir KADRIC, 19. Daniel WILLOUGHBY, 20. Corey FINCH.
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