Sydney FC have taken derby bragging rights in the Foxtel National Youth League with a comprehensive five nil victory over the Western Sydney Wanderers at Lambert Park on Sunday.
A hatrick to Max Burgess coupled with strikes to Chris Zuvela and Charles Lokoli-Ngoy ensured the Sky Blues maintained their undefeated start to the 2015/16 season and made it a hatrick of derby wins for the Sky Blues following recent victories against their crosstown rivals in the Hyundai A-League and Westfield W-League.
The Sky Blues took time to settle into the game with the Wanderers enjoying the lion’s share of possession in the opening 10 minutes and were lucky not to be behind in the 19th minute with Nicola Kuleski putting in a smart block inside the area to deny the Wanderers the opening goal.
From there the Sky Blues exerted their dominance however, as the overlapping fullbacks and wingers passed the ball around with aplomb, getting behind the Wanderers lines time and again.
Max Burgess opened his account in the 24th minute with a calm finish after being played in by a great ball from captain Yianni Spyrakis before Zuvela, Burgess again and Woodcock all went close as the half drew to a close.
The Sky Blues emerged from the break determined to extend their lead and they didn’t have to wait long as Burgess made it two, neatly chipping the keeper after excellent build up play from Robert Stambolziev and Alex Mullen released the youngster into the area.
Applied pressure saw the Sky Blues make it three as Zuvela rifled home on the hour mark, standing up his marker before powerfully finishing into the roof of the net after receiving the ball following a marauding run from Burgess.
Liam Youlley saw red for the Wanderers seven minutes after the goal as two yellow cards in a short span of time saw him take an early shower.
With a numerical advantage the Sky Blues pressed for more, and Max Burgess sealed his hatrick from the penalty spot to make it four following a rash challenge on Mullen inside the area.
Four nil up the Sky Blues didn’t take their foot off the pedal and Charles Lokoli-Ngoy made it five, minutes after coming on as a substitute, as he latched on to another penetrating through ball before charging forward and sidefooting beyond the keeper from eighteen yards.
The lead could have been extended further as chances fell to Mullen and Lokoli-Ngoy, who smashed the cross bar late on, but the score remained at five as the referee called a halt to proceedings.
The Sky Blues are next in action against the FFA Centre Of Excellence at the AIS Grass Fields on Saturday 28 November (kick off 4pm).
SYDNEY FC: 1. Anthony BOUZANIS (gk), 2. George TIMOTHEOU, 3. Aaron CALVER, 5. Yianni SPYRAKIS (c), 6. Nicola KULESKI, 7. Daniel ARAUJO (76’ Charles LOKOLI-NGOY), 8. Max BURGESS, 14. Alex MULLEN, 16. Riley WOODCOCK (73’ Bai ANTONIOU), 17. Chris ZUVELA (81’ Lachlan HUGHES), 18. Robert STAMBOLZIEV.
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