The unpredictable nature of the Hyundai A-League was in full swing on Sunday evening, as Perth Glory fell 4-0 to Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium.
Glory went into the match missing the Fox Sports “Alex Tobin” medallist in Spanish marquee Diego Castro and speedy winger Chris Harold however the result proved a reality check for the Western Australians as they head into the finals.
Glory had won 10 of its past 11 matches in the Hyundai A-League before the Round 27 clash.
David Carney and Filip Holosko found the back of the net in the first half, before Ali Abbas and Milos Ninkovic sealed the result late in the second period. Sydney’s marquee man Filip Holosko was also sent off for two bookable offences in the 78th minute.
Glory finish the Hyundai A-League season in 5th position, after sitting as low as 10th earlier in the campaign.
The boys from the West now face Melbourne City at AAMI Park on Sunday April 17, in the second elimination final.
Key moments:
First Half
5’ Matt Simon cuts inside of his marker inside the 18-yard-box and curls a shot to Ante Covic’s left, but the Glory custodian stretches to make a great save, parrying away to safety.
17’ Nebojsa Marinkovic’s corner finds Andy Keogh, his bouncing header across goal finds Alex Grant at the back post but the defender’s headed effort is redirected straight at Sydney ‘keeper Vedran Janjetovic.
25’ Marc Warren lashes a powerful strike from 30 metres away just wide of Janjetovic’s far post.
29’ Simon twists and turns and fires a powerful shot straight at Covic, he pushes the shot away with a regulation save.
31’ David Carney opens the scoring for Sydney. Lowry’s attempted clearance in the box takes an unfortunate deflection, falling to Carney who slides his shot under Covic.
36’ Filip Holosko scores Sydney’s second. The Slovakian drives into the box with an incisive run, before cutting in-between Shane Lowry and Alex Grant and finishing with a curling shot past Covic at the far post.
Second Half
48’ George Blackwood cuts inside on his right foot from the edge of the box, his curling effort is saved well by Covic to the ‘keeper’s left.
49’ Shane Lowry tries a long distance strike 30 metres out from the right side of the field, it’s well wide of Janjetovic’s far post.
49’ Carney is played through to strike across Ante Covic, the Glory ‘keeper gets down low to his right to brilliantly tip his shot around the post.
61’ Andy Keogh and Jamal Reiners link up well, the latter finds Garcia on the edge of the box but the veteran slams his shot well over the crossbar.
76’ Warren fires a long ball forward from 40 metres and almost puts it over Janjetovic, the Sydney keeper forced to tip it over the cross bar.
78’ Holosko is sent off for a second bookable offence. Holosko grabs the ball as Covic tries to set up the goal kick, Williams sends him off with a second yellow card for holding up play.
79’ Josh Risdon works well to find Keogh in the box, the Irishman blasts his volley just over the crossbar from close range.
81’ Petratos strikes from the edge of the 18 yard box but it’s straight at Janjetovic and the keeper holds onto it.
85’ Ali Abbas makes it three for Sydney. Glory throw men forward and leave the right side open at the back, Abbas makes a deep run to latch onto a through ball and slam a shot under Covic from the left side of the six-yard-box.
87’ Marinkovic strikes a powerful, curling free kick around Janjetovic’s wall and just wide of the far post at mid-height.
90+1’ Ninkovic makes it four. Hoole is released down the right side, he squares the ball to an unmarked Ninkovic who finishes at close range.
90+2’ Hoole’s aerial cross is met by a blistering volley by Ninkovic, however Covic makes a tremendous diving save to his left to tip over the cross bar.
90+5’ Keogh slams a free kick past Sydney FC’s wall straight into the arms of Janjetovic.
Teams:
Sydney FC: Vedran JANJETOVIC, Aaron CALVER, Seb RYALL, Matthew JURMAN, Ali ABBAS, Milos DIMITRIJEVIC, Brandon O’NEILL, David CARNEY (Andrew HOOLE 82’), Filip HOLOSKO, Matt SIMON, George BLACKWOOD (Milos NINKOVIC 77’)
Unused subs: Ivan NECEVSKI (GK), Zack ANDERSON, Alex MULLEN
Perth Glory FC: Ante COVIC, Marc WARREN, Shane LOWRY, Alex GRANT, Josh RISDON, Krisztian VADOCZ, Gyorgy SANDOR, Nebojsa MARINKOVIC, Jamal REINERS (Dino DJULBIC 77’), Richard GARCIA (Kosta PETRATOS 74’), Andy KEOGH
Unused subs: Jerrad TYSON (GK), Mitch OXBORROW, Aryn WILLIAMS
Yellow cards: Marc WARREN (22’), Filip HOLOSKO (55’), Aaron CALVER (63’), Matt SIMON (65’), Shane LOWRY (70’), Filip HOLOSKO (78’)
Red cards: Filip HOLOSKO (78’)
Conditions: Clear
Attendance: 8,717
