Sydney FC’s Foxtel National Youth League squad returned to the winners circle with a comfortable 2-0 win over the Newcastle Jets at Magic Park, Broadmeadow on Saturday.
The Sky Blues travelled up the freeway to take on the previously undefeated league leaders with the aim to get their Foxtel National Youth League campaign back on track.
Sydney FC looked the more likely in the first half with Charles Lokolingoy and Liam McGing hitting the woodwork while the Jets relied on set piece opportunities.
Head Coach Rob Stanton was extremely pleased with the performance in the opening 45 minutes and encouraged more of the same in the second stanza.
Bai Antoniou came off the bench at the break to replace William Mutch due to injury and the Sky Blues continued to press and dominate the opposition.
With no answer to the high intensity pressing the Jets relied on long diagonal balls which were snuffed out by a resolute Sydney FC defence.
The deserved breakthrough came about in the 67th minute when Newcastle failed to clear the ball following a Sky Blue raid on goal. The ball fell to the trusty left foot of Juan Zapata who rifled his shot low and hard from the edge of the penalty area into the net for a 1-0 lead.
Sydney FC continued to create the chances with Lokolingoy and Daniel Maskin threatening whenever Sydney pushed forward.
Co-captain Chris Zuvela hit a stinging volley which had goal written all over it only to be denied by a fingertip save by the Jets custodian. However any hope that Newcastle held of snatching a point were put to bed when Antoniou reacted quickest to a loose ball in front of goal to double the advantage to 2-0 in the final minute.
The result sees Sydney FC leapfrog Newcastle Jets by two points as they head into their home match against Central Coast Mariners next Sunday 11 December at Lambert Park kick off at 5.30pm.
Sydney FC 2 (Zapata 67′; Antoniou 89′) defeated Newcastle Jets 0
Line Up: Thomas Manos; Brendan Curtis; Cristian Gonzalez; Liam McGing; Nicola Kuleski; Andrea Agamemnonos; Chris Zuvela (C) (Chris Arditti 90′); Juan Zapata; Daniel Maskin; Charles Lokolingoy (Mani Gonzalez 84′); William Mutch (Bai Antoniou 45′)
Sub not used: Mitchell Evans (GK)
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