Sydney FC have defied a mountain of possession and a first-half onslaught of shots to claim a 3-0 National Youth League victory over a 10-man Brisbane Roar at Cleveland Showgrounds.
Sydney FC have defied a mountain of possession and a first-half onslaught of shots to claim a 3-0 National Youth League victory over a 10-man Brisbane Roar at Cleveland Showgrounds.
After half an hour on the receiving end of relentless attack, the visitors were handed the lead, with a timid back-pass from the Roar defence failing to reach Andrew Redmayne, giving Mitch Mallia the opportunity pick up the loose ball, jink around the keeper and pass into an open net.
Sydney doubled the lead in the first minute of the second-half, with overage forward Joel Chianese finding space amongst a swarm of Roar defenders and crashing past Redmayne on the half-volley.
Sky Blues skipper Blake Powell put the icing on the cake for the visitors in the 89th, taking a lovely ball inside the box at a 45-degree angle and finishing clinically with his right foot.
Putting a slight downer on the afternoon for Sydney was the last second send-off of Jordan Crighton for a two-footed, studs-up tackle on Fitzgerald.
And the scoreline could have been even more deceptive of the afternoon’s run of play, but after Roar central defender Jason Geria was red-carded for a crude tackle on Chianese at the hour mark, Powell pumped the dot-shot high and wide.
Sydney gloveman Ivan Necevski was the clear stand out from the winning side, while Roar skipper Chris Bush was tireless in the midfield for Brisbane, as was blue-chip prospect Nick Fitzgerald on the flanks.
Brisbane were fielding one of their strongest line-ups of the season, with seven A-League experienced players in their starting XI, including a potent forward three of Kofi Danning, James Meyer and Fitzgerald.
And the hosts were immediately pushing into the ascendancy and dominating the field position until Sydney registered their first shot in the ninth minute with a headed attempt from the corner by tall timber Daniel Petkovski.
Brisbane’s best chance of the first quarter came through a well-worked play involving multiple attackers that ended with Sydney ‘keeper Ivan Necevski needing to make a desperate finger-tip parry to right-footed bullet from Fitzgerald.
But the deficit did nothing to dampen Brisbane’s mood. With play seemingly perpetually camped on the edge of the Sydney’s box, Meyer, Fitzgerald and company were taking shots as if last drinks had been called on New Year’s, and it was only the outstanding intervention of Necevski that kept the visitors in front at halftime.
The second goal on the resumption of play seemed to take the wind out of the previously free-flowing hosts, and when they went down to 10 at the 57-minute mark, the match fell into an even balance – another indication of the Roar’s initial dominance.
Brisbane Roar: 0
Sydney FC: 3 (Mallia 29, Chianese 46, Powell 89)
