Brazilian striker Bobo has slammed home a hat-trick for a clinical Sydney FC to dispatch bottom-of-the-table Wellington 4-1 in their A-League clash.
Sydney have lost only one of their past nine matches against the Phoenix, and never looked like doubling that tally on Saturday at Westpac Stadium.
The win is their sixth in a row since losing 2-0 in early November to Central Coast, coming against a Phoenix side under pressure after losing assistant coach Rado Vidosic and striker son Dario earlier in the week.
The defending champions were brutally quick to punish any Wellington errors, their first goal coming after 17 minutes as the hosts were caught out pushing forward.
Adrian Mierzejewski’s raking long ball found Michael Zullo in space down the left, the left back given plenty of time to fire in a low cross which Bobo volleyed home at full stretch for his eighth goal of the season.
Eight minutes later, Mierzejewski doubled the Sky Blues’ lead after Bobo turned provider with a centred cross which the Polish midfielder duly converted with a clinical right-foot finish.
Wellington looked chaotic at best, with little movement off the ball, yet still managed to claw a goal back three minutes from halftime.
Ranging high, Scott Galloway sent in the cross Andrija Kaludjerovic had been seeking, the Serbian striker rising high to nod home a looping header over Sydney keeper Andrew Redmayne.
It was the 30-year-old’s eighth goal this campaign, leaving him second behind Bobo as the A-League’s leading scorer as the season nears its halfway point.
Wellington started the second half brightly but Sydney’s defence held strong, and normal transmission resumed in the 58th minute when Mierzejewski’s cross left Bobo with the simplest of finishes from close range.
Bobo completed his hat-trick in the 86th minute, heading home a David Carney cross from the back post to complete a masterful performance.
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