- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Melbourne City showed their title credentials tonight as they managed to grind out a 2-2 draw despite missing four key players against Sydney FC.
REPORT: SYDNEY COMEBACK DENIES CITY
City’s midfield trio all pulled up sore on Saturday morning, including Socceroo Aaron Mooy, gifting starts to Jacob Melling, Robbie Koren and youth team debutant Ali Eyigun.
However, with Sydney FC starting far stronger, young Eyigun was subbed off on the 30 minute mark for Michael Zullo. For Sydney, George Blackwood had several great chances to score his first goal during an impressive first half, however it was Melbourne who pounced first through Aaron Hughes from a corner.
Sydney then struck back early in the second half through Ninkovic, who also scored late to level the match 2-2. Bruno Fornaroli also scored for Melbourne in an attacking and open match of football.
Final Score: Melbourne City 2-2 Sydney FC
Melbourne City take on Sydney FC, a match pitting the league’s most lethal attack up against the best defence in the competition. Join The Roar from 7:15pm (AEDT) for live scores and coverage.
Melbourne City have scored 30 goals in 12 matches, averaging 2.5 per match to boast the A-League’s deadliest attack.
However, despite holding their own at certain stages of the match, Melbourne City were ultimately outclassed by Brisbane last week.
Bruno Fornaroli scored another fantastic goal to take his season tally to 10, but it wasn’t enough against a strong Roar outfit.
With this performance following two 5-1 wins against lower A-League opposition, the critics are still out as to whether John van ‘t Schip’s men are true title contenders. This will be further tested by a loss tonight, which will see them drop from third to fourth. However, win and they are within four points of the league-leading Western Sydney Wanderers.
Sydney FC have kept six clean sheets in 12 games, and have only allowed opponents 25 shots-on-goal, to be the most miserly defence in the game.
However the Sky Blues have struggled in front of goal this season, despite boasting three of the most lethal strikers in the league – Alex Brosque, Matt Simon and Shane Smeltz.
With Brosque out injured, young George Blackwood is in line for a starting berth after featuring from the bench on nine occasions. While he is yet to score his first A-League goal, perhaps his raw youth and speed is what Sydney need at the point of their attack, and a spot in the starting XI might get him on the scoresheet.
Last week the Sky Blues’ dominant first half saw them beat the Mariners 4-1, and a win tonight will push them into third, above City, and have them unbeaten in three matches.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.