Sebastian Ryall scored his first goal in the Hyundai A-League in the 90th minute to give Sydney FC a dramatic come-from-behind 2-2 draw over arch rivals Melbourne Victory on Australia Day at AAMI Park today.
Sebastian Ryall scored his first goal in the Hyundai A-League in the 90th minute to give Sydney FC a dramatic come-from-behind 2-2 draw over arch rivals Melbourne Victory on Australia Day at AAMI Park today.
Ryall-s late equaliser was justice for the Sky Blues who dominated the match and except for a furious two minute passage in first half injury time when Melbourne scored twice, Sydney FC were the better team.
In contrast to previous courageous comebacks, Sydney FC started the match brightly in a performance that will give the Sky Blues confidence in the run in to the semi finals.
Sydney FC made one change to the team that defeated Gold Coast United on Sunday, rewarding Bruno Cazarine for scoring off the bench with a place in the starting side for Terry Antonis, who missed the match with a hamstring injury.
The match was the 23rd meeting between the two rivals and it was Sydney FC that started the brightest, Melbourne content to sit back and allow Sydney to have the ball and hit them on the counter.
In a tense and tough opening 30 minutes Sydney FC fashioned good chances to Nick Carle (who twice fired over the bar) and Mark Bridge while Melbourne had two good opportunities, which were snuffed out by a good advancing save from Liam Reddy and a last-ditched clearance by Scott Jamieson.
Sydney FC suffered a blow in the 31st minute when Brett Emerton was forced from the field with a hamstring strain, replaced by Hirofumi Moriyasu, who did well throughout the match.
The change did little to change the mood of the match with Sydney FC doing well going forward but Melbourne looking dangerous when they broke quickly.
The Sky Blues had a great chance in the 42nd minute when Moriyasu got in behind Melbourne-s right-side defence and cut the ball back to Kisel, whose goal-bound shot was well saved by Victory custodian Ante Covic.
Melbourne then had a huge five minute period, scoring twice to go to the break leading 2-0.
The first goal came from a seemingly innocuous situation when the ball was played into the feet of Isaka Cernak on the edge of the penalty area and he created half a yard of space and fired home a low shot on the turn in the 45th minute.
Then in the 2nd minute of time added on Sydney suffered the second blow when Fabio got in behind the Sydney FC defence and a low shot from an acute angle found its way between the near post and Reddy.
The 2-0 scoreline flattered the home side but left Sydney FC with a huge mountain to climb in the second stanza as they left the pitch in a state of bewilderment.
The two teams came out firing after the break and within the first two minute Melbourne could have scored an unlikely third goal but for a great Reddy save when faced with a rampaging Archie Thompson.
Sydney FC deservedly pulled a goal back in the 56th minute when Bruno Cazarine scored his 6th goal of the season. Carle fired in a low shot that was spilled by Covic and Cazarine snared the scraps and fired the ball into the back of the net.
Sydney continued to look dangerous with a Carle free kick flashing wide after 67 minutes and Cazarine missing the target with a header in the 69th.
Cazarine, who looked dangerous all match, had another chance to be a hero when he failed to get on the end of an in-swinging Jamieson free kick in the 81st minute with the ball flashing past the post.
But, as the match headed into injury time Ryall gave the Sky Blues a well deserved share of the points when he poked home a loose ball after another Jamieson free kick.
Following a tough schedule of 9 matches in 41 days, the Sydney FC players will recuperate with a planned three day break before starting preparations for the clash with the Newcastle Jets at the Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday 5 February.
Sydney FC 2 (Bruno Cazarine 56, Sebastian Ryall 90) drew Melbourne Victory 2 (Isaka Cernak 45, Fabio 45+2)
AAMI Park
Crowd: 20,053
Referee: Strebre Delovski
Sydney FC: 1. Liam Reddy, 4. Pascal Bosschaart, 5. Michael Beauchamp, 7. Brett Emerton (6. Hirofumi Moriyasu ‘31), 8. Karol Kisel (11. Dimi Petratos ‘73), 9. Bruno Cazarine, 10 Nick Carle, 15. Terry McFlynn (c), 19. Mark Bridge, 21. Scott Jamieson, 23. Rhyan Grant (2. Sebastian Ryall ‘88).
Sub not used: 20. Ivan Necevski.
Yellow cards: Pascal Bosschaart 45+1.
Red cards: Nil
Melbourne Victory: 21. Ante Covic, 2. Matthew Foschini, 3. Fabio, 5. Mark Milligan, 8. Grant Brebner, 10. Archie Thompson (9. Solorzano ‘80), 13. Diogo Ferreira, 16. Carlos Hernandez (11. Marco Rojas ‘63), 19. Isaka Cernak, 22. Harry Kewell, 23. Adrian Leijer.
Subs not used: 4. Petar Franjic, 20. Lawrence Thomas.
Yellow cards: Diogo Ferreira 59.
Red cards: Nil
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