The Sydney FC National Youth League side suffered a 4-0 defeat at the hands of defending champions Gold Coast United in steamy conditions at the Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Sydney FC National Youth League side suffered a 4-0 defeat at the hands of defending champions Gold Coast United in steamy conditions at the Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Although conceding a goal in just the sixth minute, the youth Sky Blues warmed into the match and for the best part of the next 70 minutes looked the most likely to get on the scoresheet but the experience of Gold Coast eventually wore them down.
Overage player Chris Broadfoot, who netted the opening goal, finished with a hat trick while team mate Koh Satake also got on the score sheet via a stunning free-kick goal.
Despite the scoreboard, Steve Corica and his young team can take heart from their performance, especially as Gold Coast had five A-League players in their starting line-up, and as the season progresses they will evolve into more mature team.
The Young Sky Blues now host Adelaide United, who went down 2-1 to Perth in their first game of the season over the weekend, on Monday 4 October at the SFS (2:15pm kick-off).
After a nervy start that saw Broadfoot bag his first goal after just seven minutes, Sydney FC gained control of the match and created a host of goal scoring opportunities but a combination of lacklustre finishing and great work from United keeper Scott Higgins when the shots were on target prevented the home side from levelling.
Midfielders Tommy Cirjak and Wely-Al Rikaby were excellent through the middle during this period while the central defence of Matt Jurman and captain Nathan Sherlock shut down many Gold Coast attacking forays and David Gullo caused a number of headaches for the away team in defence.
But as the hot conditions started to take its toll, Gold Coast began to reassert its dominance, first extending their lead through Satake, who brilliantly curled his free kick into the bottom corner past an outstretch Aaron Liddell before Broadfoot added his second eight minutes later to make it 3-0 after 78 minutes.
Broadfoot capped off a great day in the final moments of the match with his third goal.
Sydney FC were without several regulars through injury and national team duties with the team taking many positives from the performance, especially from their work in the middle part of the game.
Match details:
Sydney FC: 0
Gold Coast United FC: 4 (BROADFOOT 5′ 79′ 92′,SATAKE 70′)
Sydney FC line-up: 1.Aaron LIDDELL (gk) (20. Daniel NIZIC (gk) 79′), 2. Matt JURMAN, 4. Nathan SHERLOCK (c), 6. Jared LUM (5. David VRANKOVIC 63′), 8. Wely AL-RIKABY, 9. Justin HAYWARD (14. Steven ILIC 56′), 12. Giorgio SPERENZA, 13.Mitchell SPEER (11. Joel CHINESE 46′), 15. Tommy CIRJAK, 17. Luke AUSTIN, 19. David GULLO
Substitutes Not Used: Nil.
Yellow cards: 15 Tomislav CIRJAK 42′.
Red cards: Nil.
Gold Coast United Youth line-up: 1. Scott HIGGINS (gk), 2. Joshua BRILLANTE, 3. Mitch BEVAN (4. Neko VUJEVICH 32′), 5. Ben WEARING, 6. Koh SATAKE, 7. Zac ANDERSON, 8. Bas VAN DER BRINK (OA), 9. Chris BROADFOOT (OA), 11. Ben HALLORAN (14. Matija SIMIC 65′), 13. Golgol MEBRATHU (10. Robert RUSSELL 64′), 15. Mitch COOPER.
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Luke MUIR (gk).
Yellow cards: 11. Ben HALLORAN 11′.
Red cards: Nil.
Referee Andrew BEST at the Sydney Football Stadium.
