A goal against his former club Western United by Max Burgess has secured Sydney FC a 1-1 draw with the ALM league leaders at Netsrata Jubilee Stadium.
At a rain-soaked Netstrata Jubilee Stadium on Saturday, Burgess’s second goal of the season cancelled out Steven Lustica’s opener as Sydney and Western settled on a 1-1 draw.
The visitors thought they’d snatched a late winner when a penalty was given in stoppage time against Socceroos fullback Rhyan Grant for handball but the decision was overturned after a video review by referee Shaun Evans.
The result means Western hold on to top spot but only by one point from defending champions Melbourne City after both teams have played 11 games each.
Steve Corica’s Sydney stay third, two points clear of fourth-place Adelaide United.
In a match marred by periods of torrential rain, Sydney created the better changes in the first half with Milos Ninkovic coming closest when his 30th minute effort was palmed on to the post by Western goalkeeper Jamie Young.
That save became doubly vital when Lustica opened the scoring in the 56th minute to put the visitors ahead.
Running on to a loose ball at the edge of the box, Lustica’s sidefooted effort benefited from Lachie Wales standing in the line of sight of Thomas Heward-Belle in the Sydney goal to find the net.
A VAR check showed Wales was onside and Western were chasing a seventh 1-0 win of the season.
That wasn’t to be when Burgess finished off good work by Bobo and Ninkovic to level the scores in the 64th minute.
Heward-Belle, playing ahead of Socceroo Andrew Redmayne for the second straight week, did well to push Josh Risdon’s 74th-minute header from an Alessandro Diamanti corner over the bar.
Ninkovic had the last clear-cut chance of the match but his curling effort was palmed wide acrobatically by Young.
Just when the action seemed over, Evans awarded a penalty when Dylan Wenzel-Halls’ header was deflected by Grant’s left arm but after viewing the action on the pitchside monitor he overturned his decision.
Sydney FC, who played without Harry Van der Saag and Anthony Caceres after both were ruled out with illness before the match, face Wellington next Saturday while Western host Western Sydney next Sunday.
At work
Roar Rookie
What was with WU's time wasting tactics... Did they not want to win the game?? I don't think they were necessarily using cheating tactics or the sort of stuff we see in western Asian games, but just no urgency and no interest in anything other than playing out the game without a change in the scoreline. It was 20mins out when I realised they're trying to slow down the play in every way, strange stuff.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Split second view v studied view where he saw it hit the sleeve near the shoulder. He was able to be an armchair ref like us, but he got it correct on second viewing.
NoMates
Roar Rookie
Look if it was SFC vs Nix and it hit a Nix player in the arm %1000 pen, Ive seen less contact being given a pen so why not that?> Oh wait its SFC so we better review it for 5min until the 4th official tells the Ref this is a SFC match which he then waves it off. And plz no more SFC GF, ratings are dire enough we don't need to flush the finals down the toilet again all for the sake of Lowy's blue boys.
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
My take on the pen reversal decision late in the game. Ref gave it, and then he reviews. Seems to me that there is no way he could have concluded: oh, I got that completely wrong, therefore, I'm not sure on what basis he could have reversed it.
Grem
Roar Rookie
At the game last night in awful conditions. It was a good contest between two good teams and a fair result. I fully expected the last penalty to be given as many bad penalty calls are made and Sydney actually receive just as many bad calls as most clubs, but rarely complain. How a penalty could be considered for a ball kicked, from close range, into Ryan Grant’s upper arm is unbelievable. I think No Mates needs to study up on penalties, but so do some officials who have awarded quite a few clangers this year. It was great to see Heward Bell in goals – it does show that Sydney will stick with young players if they perform. He made some great saves again, but the first goal against him looked like it should have been saved. And now as Amini Caceras, Yazbeck, Barbarousis, the new Dutch winger, perhaps Zullo, Niewenhoff, etc return from illness and injury Sydney should really start to fire. Perhaps GF number 4 coming up No Mates.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Thank you for an unbiased view based on knowledge of the rules.
Waz
Roar Rookie
Look, when another team breaches the salary cap but is still allowed to keep the Championship trophy ‘cos Daddy runs the FFA you can post comments like that
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
The thing that amazes me about Western United is how many great goals Lustica has scored from long range from few attempts versus how many shots Diamanti has wasted this season and scored a flat zero . Diamanti has also been quite wasteful not just the missed shots, the wasted chip attempts , etc. Diamanti needs to be dropped to play Lustica further up the field , Lustica up the field is just so much better a shooter its that simple. Aloisi has got his team suprisingly fit, Kilkenny while slow is the fittest I have seen him in Australia. Prijovic I was quite suprised with his workrate compared to earlier in the season, Lustica fitness used to be his main weakness. I think leave Diamanti out, move Lustica where he can have more shots on goal and Lustica his passing is great as well. Sydney FC the versatility of Burgess is quite remarkable he can play anywhere in the midfield, his performance as a box to box midfielder was great, his ability to get forward brought Ninkovic more into the game than he has been this season along with Kamsoba pushing forward on the other wing. To think that last season Burgess and Kamsoba were discarded goods by dumb coaches despite their sides not making the finals and one even getting the wooden spoon is amazing. The Sydney striker dilemna, Buhagiar has the speed, Bobo the height, La Fondre just couldn't get into the game, despite his gesticulations Western United centerbacks had him covered for pace , and totally outmatched in the air. The other problem area for Sydney FC is Connor OToole , I dont see why you would approve a player sale mid season if you have no cover, OToole looked like he was playing on injured. I cant see how you can give a handball anymore for anything that hits on the point of the shoulder, point of the shoulder is always going to be in the same position. If a player is hit in the upper arm then the upper arm needs to be away from the body instead of the lower arm, point of the shoulder it cant be away from the body.
chris
Guest
All these SFC haters going on and on and on about SFC favouritism. They can quote incident after incident over the years where SFC got preferential treatment. Every little thing gets noted and stored for future reference. Meanwhile, when their team gets the preferential treatment, it's overlooked and quickly forgotten and wasn't that significant blah blah blah.
The Ball Bobbled
Roar Rookie
No drama at all - it was clearly unintentional contact and the arm was not in an unnatural position nor moving toward the ball
Waz
Roar Rookie
If your question is “do they have lizard people refereeing Sydney games” then it is most likely yes, yes they do have lizard people refereeing Sydney games … it would explain a lot over the years.
David Shilovsky
Expert
So you’re saying the referee, who initially gave the penalty and overturned it after another look, is in on some kind of lizard people conspiracy? This call wasn’t even made by the VAR, yet the VAR is biased?
NoMates
Roar Rookie
Another bias VAR decision that saves the day for Sydney, WU ripped off a win. It was a handball all day long to any other A-League Club. This is why we had lost thousands of TV viewers etc because everyone is so over SFC getting special treatment.