The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

WATCH: Perth send Sydney to sobering 2-1 defeat

Roar Guru
13th February, 2016
10

Surging Perth are two points shy of the A-League’s top six, after sending Sydney FC to a sobering 2-1 defeat on Saturday.

A horrendous mistake from Sky Blues goalkeeper Vedran Janjetovic allowed striker Andy Keogh to score his second goal since returning to the Glory last month, while Chris Harold netted his fifth in his last five games before Shane Smeltz found a late consolation at Allianz Stadium.

It means the Sky Blues could slip to sixth place before this round is through, while Kenny Lowe’s side have now equalled a club-record four successive league wins.

The Glory’s aggressive, front-foot defending appeared to shock Sydney, who enjoyed dangerous spells but were defensively sloppy.

Slips in the hosts’ concentration saw them give cheap balls away throughout the first half, allowing the dangerous Diego Castro too much time and space.

But it was Janjetovic’s nightmare moment that gifted Perth the opener.

The veteran custodian got gloves to Gyorgy Sandor’s venomous cross.

But he fumbled and the ball popped free right at the goalmouth, where Keogh was waiting to execute probably the easiest tap-in of his career.

Advertisement

Sydney increased the intensity and fought hard to atone, nearing an equaliser five minutes later when Rhyan Grant headed in the box for youngster George Blackwood to almost score his first A-League goal.

His header, however, hit the crossbar – the 18-year-old sent another high on the tick of halftime after David Carney picked him out with a lovely long ball.

Debutant starter Carney and the returned Alex Brosque experimented with their new attacking partnership, their closest opportunity when Carney snuck into a pocket and fed to his skipper, who swivelled and fired just wide.

Coach Graham Arnold attempted to restore some balance and get his defence forward by introducing Ali Abbas at left-back to replace Grant, while Blackwood was subbed off for Robert Stambolziev.

The second half was end to end.

Sydney at last located their eagerness, but their bid to claim this game was all-but lost in the 65th minute.

Gyorgy Sandor fired a cracker that forced Janjetovic into a diving save, the rebound hitting the feet of Harold, who rolled into the corner.

Advertisement

Tempers threatened to flare when Marc Warren was yellow carded for bringing down Brosque and Abbas copped one himself for dissenting, before Mickael Tavares was shown more yellow for a rugby-style tackle on Krisztian Vadocz.

With 11 minutes to go, Milos Ninkovic put a smart ball forward for substitute Smeltz, who finished clinically.

Watch more sports videos at The Roar TV.

Download the app NOW to make sure you never miss a must-see sporting moment.

The Roar TV – it’s your sports video.

close