Sydney FC remains undefeated under John Kosmina after playing out a 0-0 draw with Queensland Roar at the Sydney Football Stadium.
Sydney FC remains undefeated under John Kosmina after playing out a 0-0 draw with Queensland Roar at the Sydney Football Stadium.
‘I think we created enough opportunities to score two goals,” said Kosmina.
‘-We-re trying to do things a bit differently, but one thing we could not do was go charging after Queensland. Their strength is their mobility,” he continued.
But it was the crossbar that denied Mark Rudan-s glancing header giving Sydney FC the lead midway through the first half, while Queensland Roar-s best chance of the match fell to Reinaldo who failed to get his head onto a Robert Kruse cross.
Sydney FC also failed to capitalise on their numerical advantage in the last ten minutes of the match after Andrew Packer received his second yellow card from match referee Matthew Breeze. Juninho played a trademark diagonal ball to Alex Brosque, who was clipped by the Queensland Roar left back as he was goal bound. Ufuk Talay-s ensuing free kick swerved and fizzed off his laces but he couldn-t keep it under the bar.
Sydney FC welcomed back Mark Milligan from his heroics in North Korea with the Olyroos, and he slotted into the centre of defence with Tony Popovic out suspended. Steve Corica returned from a groin injury, with Juninho starting the match on the bench.
The home side had a lively start to the game. Brosque slid a ball through the middle for Ruben Zadkovich after two minutes, but it skewed wide of the target.
Liam Reddy picked up a yellow card on 23 minutes as he flattened Michael Bridges while attempting to clear the ball away outside the edge of his box. Brosque fired in a low free kick, but it was comfortably grasped by the Queensland Roar custodian.
Mark Rudan had Sydney FC-s best chance of the match in the 27th minute. His header from 12 meters lobbed over Reddy but frustratingly ricocheted back off the woodwork.
Queensland Roar-s dynamic duo of Robert Kruse and Michael Zullo weren-t having the same effect against a steady and well organised Sydney FC backline. It was no surprise that the Queenslander-s golden opportunity of the contest came on the one occasion that Kruse skipped in behind Rudan. He fired in a superb ball across the face of goal, but amazingly, Reinaldo could not get a touch on the ball and luckily Sydney FC were not a goal down.
Reinaldo-s scoring touch deserted him again at the start of the second half. Kruse centred the ball to the Brazilian, but his first touch let him down, allowing Clint Bolton to smother his attempt on goal.
The second half followed a similar pattern to the first period, lacking much goal mouth action for the spectators.
On 58 minutes Corica was ruled offside before rounding Reddy and tucking the ball away. Five minutes later, Craig Moore-s desperate block diverted Bridges- effort after a neat move between Brosque and Corica.
Both side-s centre-halves shone throughout the match, with Mark Rudan and Mark Milligan providing a tower of strength at the back.
Kosmina introduced Juninho in the 75th minute to a rousing reception, providing Sydney FC with the tonic to push for a winner. His deft ball and vision picked out Brosque-s run and drew the foul from Packer. However, Sydney FC could not find the winner they were looking for and had to settle for another share of the points .
MATCH DETAILS
Sydney FC: 1.Clint BOLTON (gk), 2.Iain FYFE, 4.Mark RUDAN, (Captain), 7.Robbie MIDDLEBY, 8.Ruben ZADKOVICH (22.JUNINHO 76-), 9.David ZDRILIC (21.Adam BIDDLE 70-), 10.Steve CORICA, 14.Alex BROSQUE, 16.Mark MILLIGAN, 23.Ufuk TALAY, 28.Michael BRIDGES.
Substitutes Not Used: 3.Nikolas TSATTALIOS, 20.Ivan NECEVSKI (gk).
Yellow Cards: Michael Bridges 39-.
Red Cards: Nil
Queensland Roar: 1.Liam REDDY (gk), 2.Andrew PACKER, 4.Craig MOORE (Captain) (18.Danny TIATTO 76-), 6.Stuart McLAREN, 7.Michael ZULLO (23.MARCINHO 52-), 8.Massimo MURDOCCA 11.REINALDO (9.Simon LYNCH 70-), 15.Matt McKAY, 16.Hyuk-Su SEO,19.Sasa OGNENOVSKI, 22.Robbie KRUSE.
Substitutes Not Used: 30.Griffin McMASTER (gk).
Yellow Cards: Stuart McLaren 17-, Liam Reddy 23-, Andrew Packer 42-/82-.
Red Cards: Andrew Packer 82-.
