Sydney FC midfielder Nicky Carle has become his side’s hero for the second successive week with a stunning late equaliser to pinch a 1-1 A-League draw with Melbourne Heart at AAMI Park on Saturday night.
The Heart looked set to pinch all three points when substitute Maycon scored from virtually nothing with just five minutes remaining – an innocuous cross finding him in the box before he squeezed home a finish.
But the Sky Blues kept fighting, and eventually – from a disputed corner – threw everything into the last attack of the match.
Their efforts at keeping the ball alive finally found Carle to poke home from five metres out to shatter the Heart, who were seconds away from their first win of the season.
Carle also scored a late winner for Sydney FC against Adelaide United last weekend.
Sydney FC looked the more polished side in the opening 45 minutes.
The Sky Blues pushed the ball around beautifully, with wonderful interplay between Carle, Karol Kisel and Terry Antonis through midfield.
Despite that, the Heart probably had the better first-half chances.
The best came from a rare defensive error in the 20th minute, with Sydney central defender Pascal Bosschaart robbed by Heart’s Alex Terra.
But the Brazilian scooped the ball over the bar attempting a too-cute chip for his finish.
Then the Heart settled into a rhythm from midway through the second half, pushing the ball around well, frustrating Sydney, and eventually striking paydirt through Maycon.
Both Heart coach John van ‘t Schip and goalkeeper Clint Bolton were adamant the corner which led to Sydney FC’s late equaliser should not have been awarded, believing it did not strike a Heart defender on its way over the bar.
But they also lamented the Heart’s inability to deal defensively with the last-gasp equaliser – the second time they have conceded a costly late goal this season.
Newcastle Jets pinched a late winner against the Heart in week one.
“From the bench it was clearly not a corner … you could also see it on the reaction on our players it was not a corner and I just saw it back (on television replays) and it was clearly not a corner,” van ‘t Schip said.
“You have concentrate and be sharp to the end – that’s the second time. Against Newcastle it was in injury time too.”
And Bolton said: “It wasn’t a corner. I was right there, and I’m sure the replays will show that. But all that aside we’ve got to defend the corner better.”
Sydney FC coach Vitezslav Lavicka praised his side’s ability to turn around a match going against them for the second consecutive week.
“This is about the character of the players, about the character of the team,” he said.
“We are able to play a better team performance than we did tonight, definitely. But I’m happy to see the players with strong character to fight and deliver.”
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