Sydney FC went down 5-2 against reigning NPL NSW Champions Sydney United at Sydney United Sports Centre in the second round of NPL NSW Men’s on Sunday.
Sydney FC went down 5-2 against reigning NPL NSW Champions Sydney United at Sydney United Sports Centre in the second round of NPL NSW Men’s on Sunday.
Adam Pavlesic was called upon early to deny Matt Sim’s effort in the box before Luke Ivanovic returned the favour with a piercing shot that went wide.
Sydney FC were putting up a good fight and their efforts were rewarded on 16 minutes when Aidan Simmons collected a cross-field ball and cut in.
His shot was deflected kindly into the path of Luke Ivanovic who was calm with his finish under the charging legs of United keeper Danijel Nizic.
Sydney FC’s breaking of the deadlock was to be short-lived when United took the lead with two quickfire goals from ace marksman Patrick Antelmi seconds later who played his first match following his suspension from last season.
The ball was swung in from the left but Sydney’s centre-back partners Patrick Flottman and Aaron Gurd failed to clear leaving Antelmi the time to swivel and power home a shot in off the crossbar.
He doubled his tally sixty seconds later when a low cross came into the box giving Antelmi the time to steady himself and slide home a delightful finish before the clock hit 20 minutes.
Luke Ivanovic came close again for Sydney after the half hour mark and Pavlesic pulled off a double save to deny Devante Clut and Matthew Bilic.
Chris Payne and Jordan Roberts were in good passing form as Roberts cut the ball back to the waiting Sim who slid home a side-footed shot into the bottom left corner in the 40th minute.
Sydney United 58 weren’t about to take the foot off the gas early heading into the second half.
Roberts picked up a pass from Clut and fired a cross into the box for the lunging Chris Payne.
Payne doubled his tally with a belter of a shot from long range making the score 5-1 in the 65th minute and scoring his third of the season. The former FC striker himself seemed like his normal self once again following a tough 2020 season with APIA Leichhardt where the marksman struggled to hit the back of the net.
The visitors pulled one back thanks to the pace of Jaiden Kucharski who blitzed Roberts on the left before firing a cross into Anton Saracino to finish.
Sydney FC coach Jimmy Van Weeren says despite the performance, the young team can learn from their mistakes.
“It’s a learning experience with some young players who make mistakes, we stick by them it’s part of their development,” he said.
“Sydney United 58 are a good team who will punish your mistakes. Goals three, four and five were from our turnovers so there is some real learning.”
Match Stats
Sydney United 58 FC 5 (Patrick Antelmi 17’, 19’, Matt Sim 40’, Chris Payne 55’, 65’)
Sydney FC 2 (Luke Ivanovic 16’, Anton Saracino 69’)
Sunday 7th March, 2021
Sydney United Sports Centre, Edensor Park
Referee: Katie Patterson
Assistant Referees: Patrick Teleki, Melik Ibrahim
Fourth Official: Nick Kour
Sydney United 58 FC: 1.Danijel Nizic (GK), 3. Jordan Roberts, 4. Adrian Vlastelica, 5. Anthony Tomelic (18. Glen Trifiro), 6. Chris Payne (15. Tariq Maia), 7. Jackson Khoury, 8. Matt Sim (14. Andreas Agamemnonos, 71’), 9. Patrick Antelmi, 10. Devante Clut (7. Jackson Khoury 80’), 11. Yianni Perkatis, 14. Andreas Agamemnonos, 15. Tariq Maia, 16. Jacob Poscoliero, 17. Matthew Bilic, 18. Glen Trifiro, 21. Josip Orlovic, 23. Luke Vlastelica
Substitutes Not Used: 21. Josip Orlovic (GK), 23. Luke Vlastelica
Yellow Cards: 1. Danijel Nizic 83’
Red Cards: Nil
Sydney FC Youth: 1. Kaye Levi (GK), 2. Cameron Fong, 3. Aaron Gurd, 6. Thomas Main, (5. Corey Hollman 55’) 7. Aidan Simmons, 9 (14. Aiden Mostofi, 55’) 10. Jaiden Kucharski, 11. Adrian Segecic, 12. Jake Girdwood-Reich, 14. Aiden Mostofi, 15. Scott Browning (12. Jake Girdwood-Reich 45’), 17. Jaiden Trenkoski, (2. Cameron Fong 70’),19. Luke Ivanovic (9. Antonio Saracino, 63’), 21. Patrick Flottman, 23. Callum Talbot, 30. Adam Pavlesic (GK)
Substitutes Not Used: 1. Kaye Levi (GK)
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings
3 — Patrick Antelmi (SU58)
2 — Chris Payne (SU58)
1 —Jordan Roberts (SU58)
