Hyundai A-League 2010 Champions Sydney FC registered their first win of the 2010/11 season on Sunday evening with a comprehensive 3-0 win over the Perth Glory at nib Stadium.
Hyundai A-League 2010 Champions Sydney FC registered their first win of the 2010/11 season on Sunday evening with a comprehensive 3-0 win over the Perth Glory at nib Stadium.
With intense pressure on both sides heading into the match, the Sky Blues turned in a spirited 90 minute performance in steamy conditions with a double from Brazilian striker Bruno Cazarine and a goal to Alex Brosque steering Sydney FC to victory.
Coach Vitezslav Lavicka made a raft of changes and combined with the leadership and hustle of skipper Terry McFlynn and stellar work of defender Hayden Foxe the Sky Blues outplayed Perth for the majority of the clash.
The Sky Blues return home to the Sydney Football Stadium next Saturday evening with a 5:15pm kick-off against the Brisbane Roar – the first match of the inaugural A-League double header with the Central Coast Mariners taking on the Glory immediately after.
“There was a lot of criticism of us after our game against the Melbourne Victory but this is the right answer from the team. I am very happy and satisfied but it is only the first step forward but an important step,” Lavicka said.
“It was the first time we kept a clean sheet which is great. We played much more effectively in attack so I am very happy at the players that came in but the best Sydney FC player tonight was the team.
“Every player worked hard and gave their maximum for the team tonight. It is only one win. We need to get more. We never give up reaching the goals we set ourselves before the season. Team unity and hard work is the main focus for us.”
As well as three competition points, the win means Lavicka must now climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge and in doing so conquer his fear of heights.
Four changes were made to the Sky Blues starting line-up from last weekend-s loss to Melbourne with Ivan Necevski coming in for Liam Reddy while Nicky Carle, Foxe and Rhyan Grant all earned starts.
Sydney almost bagged their first goal in the 3rd minute when Carle unleashed a shot on goal but Glory keeper Aleks Vrteski made a solid save and for the next 20 minutes both sides toiled hard until Cazarine broke the deadlock in the 25th minute.
Defender Sung-Hwan Byun swung in a nicley weighted cross from the right hand side after Sydney were awarded a free-kick. Cazarine drifted past the far post and positioned himself perfectly, jumping high and heading the ball across Vrteski into the goal.
Sydney FC took the lead into the halftime break and unlike previous matches this season was not going to giveaway that advantage. Brosque doubled the lead in the 53rd minute but much of the credit must go to McFlynn.
The workaholic midfielder saw a chance as the ball was heading towards a Glory defender and put in hard run to intercept the ball and pass to a running Shannon Cole. Cole whipped in a good cross which Cazarine narrowly missed getting onto but Brosque was there to smash in his third goal of the season.
Perth had a lot of possession but was unable to create regular goal scoring opportunities but when they did Necevski was up for everything they threw at him.
Cazarine rounded out the win with his fourth goal of the season in the 80th minute after accounting for two Perth defenders to calmly slot the ball past an outstretched keeper.
Match Detail:
Perth Glory 0
Sydney FC 3 (Bruno Cazarine 25-/82-, Alex Brosque 53-)
Sunday, 24 October 2010
nib Stadium, Perth
Referee: Ben Williams
Assistant referees: Michael Nugus and Josh Mannella
Fourth official: Matthew Cheeseman
Crowd: 8,870
Perth Glory line-up: 20.Aleks VRTESKI (gk), 3.Jamie COYNE, 5.Jamie HARNWELL, 7.Jacob BURNS (C), 9.Robbie FOWLER, 10.Michael BAIRD (21.Mile STERJOVSKI 53-), 11.Branko JELIC (22.Anthony SKORICH 73-), 12.Scott NEVILLE, 14.Steven McGARRY, 16.Adriano PELLEGRINO (25.Ryan PEARSON 55-), 17.Todd HOWARTH.
Substitutes Not Used: 1.Tando VELAPHI (gk)
Yellow Cards: Adrian Pellegrino 23-, Jamie Harnwell 32-, Jacob Burns 44-, Michael Baird 53-, Mile Sterjovski 90+3-
Red Cards: Nil
Sydney FC line-up: 20.Ivan NECEVSKI (gk), 3.Stephan KELLER, 5.Hayden FOXE, 6.Hirofumi MORIYASU (2.Sebastian RYALL 83-), 9.Bruno CAZARINE, 10.Nicky CARLE (19.Mark BRIDGE 63-), 12.Shannon COLE, 14.Alex BROSQUE, 15.Terry MCFLYNN (c), 22.Sung-Hwan BYUN (21.Scott JAMIESON 83-), 23.Rhyan GRANT.
Substitutes Not Used: 1.Liam REDDY (gk)
Yellow Cards: Sung-Hwan Byun 13-, Nick Carle 33-.
Red Cards: Nil
