Summary
Sydney FC 3 (Mierzejewski 44’, Bobô 45+3’, Brosque 90+6) def. Melbourne City 1 (Brattan 36’)
Sydney FC are eight points clear at the summit of the ladder following a 3-1 defeat of Melbourne City.
The Sky Blues fell behind to a first half Luke Brattan strike which was given by the VAR.
However they led at half time after an Adrian Mierzejewski free kick and a Bobô penalty were both scored in first half injury time.
Captain Alex Brosque capped off his special night of breaking the all time appearance record for the club (215 appearances) with a wonder goal right before full-time.
Arnie’s men now face Wellington Phoenix away next Saturday as they look to maintain their distance at the top of the table.
What They Said
Graham Arnold: “When you can not play at your best and still win, and when you have the pieces of quality and class like we do and we can score those goals, it’s a positive.”
“They were a bit hard to break down but that’s what set pieces are for. We get a free-kick outside the box and Adrian can put those in.
“There was a lot of hard work, the boys attitude was spot on and at the end of it the result was a fair one.”
Goals
36’ GOAL BRATTAN – Ball is played across the face of the Sky Blues’ goal to Brattan who hits it first time, off the crossbar and down before Redmayne gathers. VAR looks into it and adjudges it to have crossed the line.
44’ MAGIC MIERZEJEWSKI – Bobô is brought down 25 yards out. Mierzejewski steps up and hits yet another unstoppable freekick into the right hand corner.
45+3’ PENALTY BOBÔ – Cross comes in for Buijs as a City player’s hands are all over the back of him. Referee points to the spot. Sydney FC’s no.9 steps up and makes no mistake, sending the keeper the other way to take the lead late in the half.
90+6 BOOM BROSQUE – Redmayne rifles a goal kick into the City half which is nodded on by Mierzejewski, finding Brosque who unleashes a belting volley to find the back of the net.
Key Moments
3’ SIDE NETTING BOBÔ – Carney squares the ball across the six-yard box to Bobô who attempts to side foot it in but finds the side netting.
6’ HEADER BOBÔ – Mierzejewski plays a delicate ball in behind for Brosque who lays it on for Wilkshire to cross. Cross finds Bobô in the box but can’t generate the power needed to find the net.
15’ BRAVE AND TALL REDMAYNE – McCormack is played in behind and one-on-one with Redmayne who produces a stop to deny City taking the lead.
46’ GOOD STOP REDMAYNE – Fitzgerald evades a couple of Sky Blue defenders to unleash from close range but Redmayne stands tall and thwarts the danger.
57’ JUST HEADED OVER MIERZEJEWSKI – Adrian carries the ball to play Wilkshire out wide in a crossing position. The pinpoint cross finds the Polish midfielder who just heads his effort over the post.
71’ MUSCAT RED CARD – Manny Muscat tussles with Michael Zullo before the Sydney FC defender goes down holding his head. The VAR reviews the incident and referee Shaun Evans decides Muscat did enough in the challenge to warrant a red card.
82’ CLOSE RANGE BOBÔ – Brosque and Mierzejewski harry a City defender out of position to find Brillante. The Sky Blues midfielder plays in Bobô with the keeper to beat but Bouzanis does just enough to stop the Brazilian.
90+2 HEADER BUIJS – Mierzejewski whips in a delightful free-kick to find an unmarked Buijs at the back post but the centre half can’t direct his effort on goal.
Team News
Sydney FC 3 (Mierzejewski 44’, Bobô 45+3’, Brosque 90+6) def. Melbourne City 1 (Brattan 36’)
Ground: Allianz Stadium
Attendance: 10,688
Referee: Shaun Evans
Sydney FC: 1. Andrew REDMAYNE (gk), 4. Alex WILKINSON, 5. Jordy BUIJS, 6. Joshua BRILLANTE, 7. Michael ZULLO, 9. BOBÔ (18. Matt SIMON 87’), 11. Adrian MIERZEJEWSKI, 13. Brandon O’NEILL, 14. Alex BROSQUE, 17. David CARNEY (10. Milos NINKOVIC 60’), 26. Luke WILKSHIRE (22. Seb RYALL 80’).
Subs Not Used: 30. Thomas HEWARD-BELLE (gk), 8. Paulo RETRE.
Yellow Cards: 5. Jordy BUIJS 7’, 13. Brandon O’NEILL 48’
Red Cards: None.
Melbourne City: 1. Dean BOUZANIS (gk), 2. Manny MUSCAT, 5. Bart SCHENKEVELD, 6. Osama MALIK, 7. Nick FITZGERALD (27. Marcin BUDZINSKI 85’), 13. Stefan MAUK (14. Daniel ARZANI 67’), 22. Michael JAKOBSEN, 25. Lacopo LA ROCCA, 26. Luke BRATTAN, 44. Ross McCORMACK (37. Nathaniel ATKINSON 30’).
Subs Not Used: 18. Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk), 21. Ruon TONGYIK.
Yellow Cards: 5. Bart SCHENKEVELD 45+1’, 25. Lacopo LA ROCCA 90+6’.
Red Cards: 2. Manny MUSCAT 71’
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