Sydney FC were unable to find a second-half goal, as they drew 2-2 to Western United after goals to Fabio Gomes and Jake Girdwood-Reich were cancelled out by Noah Botic and Benjamin Garuccio.
Sydney FC 2 (Gomes 35’, Girdwood-Reich 44’) def. Western United 2 (Botic 45’, Garuccio 53’)
Moments that Mattered:
26’ REDMAYNE SAVE– Michael Ruhs streams down the pitch on the counterattack and releases it to Daniel Penha, but Andrew Redmayne’s fingertips, weave the shot away from the bottom corner.
36’ GOMES GOAL- After a lengthy VAR check, it’s found that Max Burgess’ shot deflected into Kane Vidmar’s arm, and the referee called a penalty. Fabio Gomes coolly slots the ball in the bottom right corner.
43’ GIRDWOOD-REICH GOAL- Joe Lolley’s corner finds the head of Fabio Gomes, who directs it towards Jake Girdwood’s Reich, and he scores with his head into the bottom right corner. The goal is counted after an initial offside call by the linesmen.
45+’ BOTIC GOAL- Noah Botic slots the ball beyond Andrew Redmayne after a cross from Lachlan Wales travels past the Sydney FC defence.
53’ GARUCCIO GOAL- The Sky Blues lead dissipates when Michael Ruhs lobs the ball over to a running Botic, whose cross finds the feet of Benjamin Garuccio. He smacks the ball into the roof of Sydney FC’s goal.
84’ LOLLEY CHANCE– Robert Mak tees the ball up to Joe Lolley, who fires it towards the bottom right corner, but it is touched out by Thomas Heward-Belle.
90+ REDMAYNE SAVE- In a last-gasp attempt, Wales crosses the ball into the feet of Nikita Rukavytsya. But his shot meets the palms of Redmayne.
What They Said: Ufuk Talay
“It wasn’t our greatest performance. We scored a penalty but conceded another soft goal that we could have dealt with defensively.
“[In the second goal] They went over the top because our set-up wasn’t ready.
“But to walk away with one point, I just think Western had a bit more passion and desire to get the outcome they wanted. It was an eventful match.”
Match Report:
Sydney FC and Western United have shared points, after the Sky Blues attack were unable to break down a stubborn Western United outfit in Hobart.
Three goals in the final fifteen minutes of the first half, and a United goal in the early stages of the second half, saw both sides play out a 2-2, with the result putting the Sky Blues on the brink of the top six.
Sydney FC started the game in their half as United pressed high and dominated 60{98698ff7ed92b99d4e0cecdfdc9e4dccf4922e0a04ff9db373daf4aa83b73fe2} of possession, which did frustrate Gabriel Lacerda when he conceded a yellow card in the third minute.
As the half wore on, the Sky Blues flipped the possession, creating long strings of passes, but United’s organised defence kept the game in the centre third of the pitch 60.6{98698ff7ed92b99d4e0cecdfdc9e4dccf4922e0a04ff9db373daf4aa83b73fe2} of the time by the half-hour mark.
Andrew Redmayne was the first keeper to be seriously called into action when Daniel Penha’s shot from a counterattack met his fingertips and forced a corner.
Shortly after, Western defender Kane Vidmar conceded a penalty after Max Burgess’ shot ricocheted off his leg into his hand. Fabio Gomes scored his first goal in three weeks after converting the penalty into the bottom corner.
Seven minutes later, Sydney FC doubled their deficit when Jake Girdwood’s Reich scored his first Isuzu UTE A-League goal when he directed the ball from his head into the bottom right corner following an assist from Fabio Gomes’ head.
Western responded immediately when Lachlan Wales released the ball to Noah Botic, who hit the ball into the bottom left corner.
A double change by Ufuk Talay at halftime saw Sydney FC play their high-risk, high-reward strategy at the beginning of the second half, and United responded to it when Michael Ruhs lofted the ball over to Botic, who cut inside to Benjamin Garuccio and he smashed the ball
into the roof of the net.
Sydney FC continued to keep 60{98698ff7ed92b99d4e0cecdfdc9e4dccf4922e0a04ff9db373daf4aa83b73fe2} of possession, but they were unable to seriously challenge the Thomas Heward-Belle although United made several double changes due to injuries.
As full-time beckoned, Sydney FC had the most promising chance when Joe Lolley’s shot from outside of the box was weaved away by Heward-Belle.
Both teams created opportunities in front of goal and a last gasp attempt by Nikita Rukavytsya was saved by Redmayne, seeing the Sky Blues earn points for the third consecutive week.
Sydney FC will next face the Central Coast Mariners in Gosford on Saturday night.
Sydney FC: 1. Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), 4. Jordan COURTNEY PERKINS, 8. Jake GIRDWOOD- REICH, 9. Fabio GOMES (25. Jaiden KUCHARSKI 74’), 10. Joe LOLLEY, 12. Corey Hollman (18. Matthew SCARCELLA 78’), 15. Gabriel LACERDA (27. Hayden MATTHEWS 46’), 17. Anthony CACERES (28 Nathan AMANATIDIS 74’), 22. Max BURGESS (11. Robert MAK 46’), 23. Rhyan GRANT, 26. Luke BRATTAN ©.
Unused Subs: 20. Adam PAVLESIC (GK), 19. Mitch GLASSON.
Yellow Cards: Lacerda (3’), Gomes (67’)
Red Cards: None
Western United: Thomas HEWARD-BELLE (GK), 6. Tomoki IMAI, 8. Lachlan WALES, 9. Michael RUHS, 11. Daniel PENHA, 17. Benjamin GARUCCIO (7. Ramy NAJJARINE 65’), 19. Joshua RISDON © (24. Connor O’TOOLE 49’, 36. Zach LISOLAJSKI, 71’), 21 Sebastian PASQUALI (44. Jordan LAUTON 65’), 22. Kane VIDMAR, 32. Angus THURGATE, 38. Noah BOTIC (13. Nikita RUKAVYTSYA 70’).
Unused Subs: 33. Matthew SUTTON (GK), 39. Matthew GRIMALDI.
Yellow Cards: Risdon (10’), Ruhs (55’)
Red Cards: None
Venue: North Hobart Oval
Referee: Lachlan Keevers