Ufuk Talay’s Sydney FC have concluded their pre-season campaign with a strong victory over Newcastle Jets at Sky Park.
All three of the electric front line got on the scoresheet as the Sky Blues flexed their muscles heading into the Isuzu UTE A-League season next weekend.
Sydney FC 3 (Lolley 10′, Klimala 20′, Costa 48′) def. Newcastle Jets 2 (Rose 5′, Adams 75′)
Moments That Mattered
6′ | JETS OPEN THE SCORING – Lachie Rose taps in at the back post after a great run from Oliveira down the left wing.
10′ | LOLLEY DRIVES ONE INTO THE BOTTOM CORNER – Joe Lolley finds space on the edge of the box and he drives it low past the despairing keeper.
20′ | KLIMALA NETS WITH A SWEET TURN AND FINISH – The Polish striker controls the cross inside the box, turns and finishes into the bottom corner.
41′ | OUAHIM TESTS SCOTT WITH DIPPING DRIVE – Our number 8 opens up his body and fires a fierce drive goal-ward that has to be tipped over.
48′ | COSTA ADDS A THIRD – The Brazilian beats his man and fires an effort into the net past Ryan Scott.
64′ | KLIMALA UNLUCKY ON PENALTY SPOT – The Pole is set up brilliantly by Adrian Segecic but his attempt is hampered by a tough bobble.
67′ | OUAHIM PENALTY WAVED AWAY – The German is up-ended inside the area and all players stop however the referee waves play on much to everyone’s surprise.
75′ | JETS PULL ONE BACK – Newcastle score their second of the day through Eli Adams.
80′ | HOLLMAN DENIED – A brilliant sliding block on the line denies Corey Hollman from inside the area.
What They Said – Patrick Wood
“It’s been almost six months since I’ve been back fully training with the team. I had surgery four and a half months ago but I couldn’t be happier to be back out there with the boys.
“To finally get out there, although I feel exhausted it felt really good. I’m so happy.”
“My foot feels good, I am looking forward to the season and excited to be involved next weekend.”
Match Report
Sydney FC took on Newcastle Jets in their final pre-season match before the highly anticipated Sydney Derby next Saturday at CommBank Stadium.
Two first half goals to Joe Lolley and Patryk Klimala were added to by Douglas Costa in the second half as they concluded their pre-season with a 3-2 victory.
The Sky Blues lined up strong for their final pre-season preparations and started brightly, however they fell behind after five minutes through Lachie Rose.
New Jets signing Wellisol Oliviera made a strong run down the left wing, taking on three players and crossed to the back post for an un-marked Rose to tap in for the opener.
The Sky Blues responded immediately and swiftly went up the pitch and began to dominate the match. They didn’t have to wait long for their equaliser with Joe Lolley firing one in.
The Englishman picked up the ball on the edge of the area and he drove a trademark left footed drive through some bodies and into the bottom corner away from a despairing Scott in the Jets net.
From here, the game settled into a pattern of play with Talay’s side controlling the tempo and majority of possession.
They would soon take the lead through their Polish striker Patryk Klimala.
The Pole moved away from his marker inside the box and he managed to control, and in one swift movement, turned and finished past a helpless keeper for a two goal lead.
The visitors tried to create chances but struggled to get any forward runs that weren’t picked off by Popovic, Matthews or Sena. This resulted in more attempts falling the way of Sydney.
Anthony Caceres linked up well in the middle and saw his effort blocked on the way to goal and Douglas Costa also saw one of his rockets inadvertently blocked by Klimala who had no time to get out of the way.
As the half drew to a close, Anas Ouahim looked dangerous with a right footed strike that was tipped over the top and Joe Lolley almost made a second for himself however his curler was pushed away from danger.
In the final moments of the half, Newcastle had a set piece in the Sydney defensive third but a poor ball set off Klimala and Lolley on the counter and the Englishman almost had a second but for a deflection that took the Mitre spinning wide of the post.
In the second half Sydney started with the same relentlessness that their first half produced and they were rewarded with an early goal.
Douglas Costa picked up the ball on the left and drove past his defender and into the box. Despite the tight angle, he rifled a shot towards goal and it found a way past Scott for the Sky Blues’ third of the afternoon.
Sydney looked hungry for a fourth and after Redmayne was called into a save from a Jets long range set-piece, the Sky Blues almost had one from a corner themselves but Anthony Caceres didn’t connect with his shot and it trickled wide.
Patryk Klimala was the next to try his luck after some great interplay from Ouahim and Lolley with the Alex Tobin Medalist whipping a low cross to Klimala however the Pole was unable to find a clear route to goal and his chance was blocked away.
Hayden Matthews looked to net his first goal in Sky Blue and almost did with a strong header from a free-kick however Ryan Scott was behind it and held on amongst bodies.
Moments later after some great pressing, the Sky Blues won the ball inside the Jets penalty area and almost had a fourth with Segecic laying the ball back to Klimala un-marked on the penalty spot however the ball took a huge bobble before reaching him, sending his effort over the bar.
With their usual swift interplay, Anas Ouahim and Joe Lolley linked up and the German was up-ended in the box and should’ve had a penalty but the referee and assistant both waved away the call much to the bewilderment of everyone else on the pitch.
After Talay made multiple changes, the visitors took full advantage, finding the net for the second time, with Eli Adams cutting inside on the right hand side and curling one past a diving Harrison Devenish-Meares.
Despite the set-back, Sydney continued to surge forward and created plenty more chances at goal with Corey Hollman having his shot cleared off the line and Nathan Amanatidis forcing a great save from Scott at close range.
Pat Wood almost had his first goal back after more than six months on the sideline but his lobbed effort floated wide of the upright.
Max Burgess had a late effort go wide and Adrian Segecic saw his attempt saved from outside the area before the referee blew full time on a perfect final hit out before the 2024/25 Isuzu UTE A-League season.
Now the Sky Blues have one week to prepare for the highly anticipated first Sydney Derby of the season.
Line-Up
1. Andrew REDMAYNE (12. Harrison DEVENISH-MEARES 60′), 4. Jordan COURTNEY-PERKINS (16. Joel KING 60′), 5. Hayden MATTHEWS, 8. Anas OUAHIM (22. Max BURGESS 68′) , 9. Patryk KLIMALA (13. Patrick WOOD 68′), 10. Joe LOLLEY (28. Nathan AMANATIDIS 68′), 11. Douglas COSTA (7. Adrian SEGECIC 60′), 15. Leo SENA (24. Wataru KAMIJO 68′), 17. Anthony CACERES (6. Corey HOLLMAN 60′), 23. Rhyan GRANT (19. Mitch GLASSON 68′), 41. Alexandar POPOVIC.
Unused Subs: 20. Tiago QUINTAL, 21. Zac DE JESUS, 25. Jaiden KUCHARSKI, 27 Lachlan MIDDLETON, 30. Gus HOEFSLOOT, 33. Marin FRANCE, 34. Will KENNEDY.
