Sydney FC Remains Undefeated With 4-2 Win Over Bankstown

Sydney FC remained undefeated and marquee midfielder Nick Carkle scored another two goals as Sydney FC beat NSW Premier League side Bankstown City Lions 4-2 at Jensen Park tonight.

Carle-s brace of goals takes his tally to five in two matches as Sydney FC has now played four games and following a first up 1-1 draw against Macarthur they have recorded wins over St George, Parramatta FC and Bankstown.

Vitezslav Lavicka was pleased with the performance but admitted there was still more room to improve.

“It was another good sparring for us tonight as our opponent played a very physical style especially in the first half,” Lavicka said after the match. “We had to work very hard to win the game.”

“We built up and moved the ball slower but at times we dribbled too much.”

“Bankstown played aggressively causing us a few problems but the second half we improved and moved the ball quicker.”

“We created a couple of chances and scored four goals which is good but we still have a few problems to fix in defence including set pieces but generally I am happy.”

Sydney FC midfielders Rhyan Grant and Hirofumi Moriyasu both made their first starting appearances of the 2011/12 Pre Season while Karol Kisel missed the match after sustaining a calf injury at training yesterday.

Sydney FC started the stronger of the two teams but some resolute Bankstown defence held the visitors at bay until the 32nd minute when Moriyasu scored with a neat left foot shot at the far post from a Jamie Coyne cross.

Bankstown managed to pull a goal back against the run of play when Pascal Bosschaart was judged to have blocked the run of a Bankstown attacker and a penalty was awarded. Bankstown-s Hussein Salameh converted from the penalty spot to make it 1-1 in the 43rd minute.

Vitezslav Lavicka made two changes at half time with Young Socceroo Dimi Petratos replacing his U20 World Cup team mate Rhyan Grant while Nathan Sherlock, making his first appearance of the Pre Season following a hamstring injury, came on for Captain Terry McFlynn.

Sydney FC regained the lead in the 51st minute when Nick Carle scored his 4th goal of the Pre Season, converting a penalty after a Coyne cross was handled by a Bankstown defender.

Shannon Cole replaced Scott Jamieson in the 55th minute and Bankstown equalized for a second time less than a minute later when Daniel Gardiner met a perfect cross with a bullet header, giving Liam Reddy no chance.

Carle then gave Sydney FC a 3-2 lead in the 59th minute when he ran onto an inch-perfect through ball from Moriyasu and slotted the ball home with his right foot for his 2nd goal of the night.

Petratos added another in the 67th minute when he powered home a low and hard shot following some great work from Carle and Mark Bridge on the edge of the penalty area to make the score 4-2.

Sydney FC made one final change in the 74th minute with Caleb Rufer replacing Bridge and could easily have added to the scoreline but for some near misses in the dying minutes.

Sydney FC will now prepare to take on Sutherland at Seymour Shaw next Wednesday night. Kick off is 7.30pm and Lavicka is hoping Sydney FC strong support continues.

“I very much want to thank all our fans who have come to our pre-season games this year, their support means a lot to the team and to me.”

Sydney FC 4 (Hirofumi Moriyasu 32, Nick Carle 51 pen, 59, Dimi Petratos 67) d Bankstown City Lions 2 (Hussein Salameh 43 pen, Daniel Gardiner 56)
Jensen Park

Crowd: 1251
Referee: Kevin Peddle

Sydney FC: 1. Liam REDDY, 2. Sebastian RYALL, 3. Jamie COYNE (Scott JAMIESON -71), 4. Pascal BOSSCHAART (5. Michael BEAUCHAMP -62), 6. Hirofumi MORIYASU, 9. Bruno CAZARINE (18. Juho MAKELA -62), 10. Nick CARLE, 15. Terry McFLYNN (22. Nathan SHERLOCK -46), 19. Mark BRIDGE (24. Caleb RUFER -74), 21. Scott JAMIESON (12. Shannon COLE ‘55), 23. Rhyan GRANT (11. Dimi PETRATOS ‘46).

Subs not used: 20. Ivan NECEVSKI.

Yellow cards: Pascal Bosschaart 41