In a match where both teams had chances – the Sky Blues showed their class to prevail over the struggling Central Coast Mariners.
The defending champions hit straight out of the blocks and took the lead early.
A Luke Brattan killer pass behind the Mariners’ defence found Socceroo Rhyan Grant, who crossed the ball to Kosta Barbarouses to finish.
Daniel De Silva almost scored against his former club shortly after. His shot outside the area forced a smart save from Andrew Redmayne.
The Mariners should have equalised just before half-time when Samuel Silvera delivered a delicious cross to new signing Jair, where the Brazilian headed wide.
The first chance of the second half fell to Milos Ninkovic after a through ball from Alexander Baumjohann. The ball sailed over the bar following the first time shot.
Jair should have scored from a Jack Clisby cross moments later – but the former Newcastle Jet did not control his shot.
Giancarlo Gallifuoco should have squared the ledger when he headed Ziggy Gordon’s cross straight to Redmayne late-on.
The match finished with Barbarouses’ early strike the difference between the sides.
The win sees Sydney extend their lead on the ladder, with their next match away to Wellington.
The loss for Central Coast leaves them languishing at the bottom. Their next fixture is against Adelaide in Gosford.
Sydney FC: 1 (Barbarouses 5′)
Central Coast Mariners: 0
Jubilee Stadium
Attendance: 10 256
Referee: Jonathan BARREIRO
Assistant Referee: Kearny ROBINSON, Greg TAYLOR
Fourth Official: Tim DANASKOS
VAR: Craig ZETTER
Sydney FC: Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), Rhyan GRANT, Ryan MCGOWAN, Alexander WILKINSON (c), Joel KING, Luke BRATTAN, Paulo RETRE, Alexander BAUMJOHANN (Harry VAN DER SAGG 85′), Milos NINKOVIC (Anthony CACERES 60′), Kosta BARBAROUSES, Adam LE FONDRE (Trent BUHAGIAR 75′).
Unused subs: Thomas HEWARD-BELLE (GK), Patrick FLOTTMANN, Luke IVANOVIC, Marco TILIO.
Coach: Steve CORICA
Central Coast Mariners: Mark BIRIGHITTI (GK), Ian Zygmunt GORDON, Eunsun KIM (c), Kye ROWLES, Jack CLISBY,Samuel SILVERA (Lewis MILLER 66′), Gianni STENSNESS, Giancarlo GALLIFUOCO, Milan DURIC (Dylan RUIZ-DIAZ 73′), Daniel DE SILVA, JAIR (Matthew SIMON 73′).
Unused subs: Adam PEARCE (GK), Ruon TONGYIK, Mario SHABOW, Joshua NISBET.
Coach: Alen STAJCIC
Feature image credit: Jaime Castaneda
Enjoy this content? Support The Football Sack
Due in part to COVID and lack of current sponsorship we are at risk of not having the funds to continue running The Football Sack. If you enjoy our content and support our work in training talented young writers, please support us with a donation. If every reader contributed just $3, our funding would be covered for over ten years.
| DONATE |
