Sydney FC have a great chance to recover at home to Brisbane Roar in just four days time after a late deflected own goal cost them a share of the points away to Melbourne Victory.
Sydney FC 0 def. by Melbourne Victory 1 (Jurman og 79’)
The Sky Blues gave their rivals minimal clear cut opportunities in front of goal in a match which was in the balance right until the final seconds.
However a Jesse Makarounas cross was unluckily deflected into his own goal by the excellent Sky Blues centre half Matt Jurman with eleven minutes to go to give their hosts a 1-0 win.
What They Said
Graham Arnold: “Melbourne Victory are a very good counter attack team. They don’t build up anymore and are waiting for a mistake from the opposition, like the own goal that they got, but overall I thought we played very well.
“I don’t have any shame in saying there are two ways of playing football, with and without the ball and without the ball you have to keep the ball out of the back of your net and defensively we were strong again.
“They [Melbourne Victory] didn’t have that many chances but at the same time I thought we controlled the midfield very well.
“But that’s over, we’ve got Brisbane on Saturday, we are in a very, very good position and we move forward.
“The three man midfield did excellent tonight and we will continue to get better and we tried to control the game and I thought that we did that in long periods well.
“Matt Jurman was excellent again tonight and we move on very quickly and we’ve got to get ready for Brisbane on Saturday.”
Goals
79’ JURMAN OWN GOAL – Makarounas breaks free down the right hand side and crosses. Jurman tries to clear but deflects the ball into his own net.
Key Moments
2’ GREAT SAVE JANJETOVIC – Berisha beats the offside trap and Janjetovic makes the save with his legs.
8’ RYALL HEADER – Free kick on the left swung in by Dimitrijevic and Ryall gets his head to it but Vukovic claims on his line.
24’ FINKLER TACKLE – Finkler produces a high tackle on Matt Simon which results in the striker needing treatment. Finkler is booked but there’s a talking point – should it have been more?
43’ NAUMOFF SHOT – Christopher Naumoff unleashes a shot which Vukovic spills but Matt Simon is ruled offside as he tries to convert the rebound.
63’ ANSELL SHOT BLOCKED – Cross from the Victory left side creates a scramble in the Sydney FC box & Ansell’s shot is blocked by Matt Simon 5 yards out.
70’ SIMON PENALTY CLAIM – Matt Simon is bundled over in the box while trying to shield it but no penalty says referee.
82’ HOOLE SHOT SAVED – Shane Smeltz finds Hoole on the left but his curling shot is brilliantly saved by Vukovic.
Team News
Sydney FC 0 def. by Melbourne Victory 1 (Jurman og 79’)
Head Coach Graham Arnold continued with the same team that started the Sydney Derby against Western Sydney Wanderers ten days earlier however he recalled Olyroos Brandon O’Neill and Andrew Hoole to the bench in place of youngsters Aaron Calver and George Blackwood.
Attendance: 30,479
Ground: Etihad Stadium
Referee: Strebre Delovski
Sydney FC: 1. Vedran JANJETOVIC, 2. Seb RYALL (captain), 5. Matt JURMAN, 8. Milos DIMITRIJEVIC (22. Ali ABBAS 8/5’), 10. Milos NINKOVIC, 11. Christopher NAUMOFF (7. Andrew HOOLE 59’), 18. Matt SIMON (9. Shane SMELTZ 74’) , 19. Jacques FATY, 21. Filip HOLOSKO, 23. Rhyan GRANT, 27. Mickael TAVARES.
Subs not used: 20. Ivan NECEVSKI, 13. Brandon O’NEILL.
Yellow cards: None.
Red cards: None
Melbourne Victory: 1.Danny VUKOVIC (gk), 4.Nick ANSELL (22. Jesse MAKAROUNAS 74’), 5.Daniel GEORGIEVSKI, 6.Leigh BROXHAM (c), 7.Gui FINKLER, 8.Besart BERISHA, 9.Kosta BARBAROUSES, 13.Oliver BOZANIC, 14.Fahid BEN KHALFALLAH (10.Archie THOMPSON 77’), 16.Rashid MAHAZI (2. Jason GERIA 60’), 17.Matthieu DELPIERRE.
Subs not used: 20.Lawrence THOMAS (gk), 23.Jai INGHAM.
Yellow cards: Finkler 24’, Delpierre 46’, .
Red cards: None.
Tickets are available for Sydney FC’s massive home clash at Allianz Stadium with Brisbane Roar this Saturday by clicking here.
