Sydney FC ensured the race for the Premier’s Plate will go down to the wire after romping to a 4-3 A-League victory over Newcastle on Friday to keep their hopes alive.
Anything less than three points for Sydney would have given frontrunners Melbourne Victory the chance to wrap up the minor premiership on Saturday with a win over Brisbane.
But Sydney’s triumph at Hunter Stadium leaves them level on 47 points with the Victory, who are only ahead on goal difference, with Wellington just a point adrift.
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The silverware will be awarded in the final round when Sydney face a difficult away trip to Wellington and the Victory host the lowly Central Coast.
Sydney raced to a 3-1 lead, scoring three goals in eight minutes in the second half, with Alex Brosque slotting home a double and Bernie Ibini adding to the tally.
But the Jets clawed their way back from 3-1 down to level late in the game before a Robert Stambolziev winner in the 80th minute proved the difference.
Serbian Evner Alivodic scored Newcastle’s first goal against Sydney in more than two years with Edson Montano doubling the advantage and Andrew Hoole netting a penalty.
Sydney had kept a clean sheet against the Jets in all five encounters since February 2013 but Alivodic changed that on Friday night.
Colombian Montano set up the goal, lobbing it over the Sydney defence with Alivodic chasing it into the box, clipping it over keeper Vedran Janjetovic and into the back of the net in the 21st minute.
Marquee striker Marc Janko had three first-half chances, two superbly set up by Milos Dimitrijevic, but was unable to capitalise.
The visitors started the second half with a clear attacking intent and it didn’t take long to find the equaliser.
Rhyan Grant started the play with a great pass and Brosque levelled with a cool finish in the 48th minute.
Ibini struck just four minutes later, forcing a save with his first shot and launching onto Ben Kennedy’s clearance to put Sydney 2-1 up with a powerful strike.
Brosque continued Sydney’s tirade in the 56th minute, heading home off an Alex Gersbach cross for the 3-1 advantage.
The Jets fired back with Hoole setting up Montano, who beat an outstretched Janjetovic to claw one back for the hosts in the 67th minute.
Gersbach gifted the Jets a penalty, bringing Hoole down in the box with less than 20 minutes remaining, and Hoole made no mistake from the spot to level the score at 3-3 in the 76th minute.
But Sydney weren’t done yet with substitute Shane Smeltz heading the ball back to Stambolziev who found the late winner.
Sydney coach Graham Arnold admitted it became a little too close for comfort but praised his players for being able to lift.
“These boys have all the confidence in themselves that they’ve got an extra gear,” he said.
“But the most important thing is the three points. We’ve kept the pressure on Melbourne Victory now.”
Jets coach Phil Stubbins said his side would learn from allowing Sydney to stage their second-half attacking blitz but praised his charges’ fighting spirit.
“There’s a lot to be proud of,” he said.
“We played a magnificent team … and to get back to 3-3 and make it anyone’s game against a class outfit is a credit to all the players in there.”
Daniel Mullen, who earlier on Friday committed to the Jets for a further two seasons, said the game showed the club was going in the right direction.
“I wouldn’t be signing for a team that I didn’t see challenging next year.”
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