Sydney FC dispatch Roar to cap winning week

Sydney FC finished a brilliant week on a high by breezing past Brisbane Roar 3-1 at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.

Four nights on from their Westfield FFA Cup Final triumph, the Sky Blues showed few signs of fatigue in comfortably accounting for a Roar side which is now winless in seven away games.

Graham Arnold lost Milos Ninkovic to a calf injury ahead of the game but his absence hardly affected the visitors as David Carney’s fine finish and an Adrian Mierzejewski penalty gave them a two-goal lead inside 15 minutes.

The contest took an ugly twist in the second half when Avraam Papadopoulos and Matt Simon were both shown red after the Sydney man reacted to an apparent spit from the Brisbane defender.

That didn’t stop Seb Ryall from extending the margin late in proceedings, although John Aloisi’s side did find a stoppage time consolation through Jack Hingert.

STORY OF THE GAME

Sydney went ahead out of nothing with Carney on the end of a classy combination.
And it was 2-0 in the 15th minute, Mierzejewski doubling the lead from the spot.
Carney should have had a second prior to the half-hour, but the winger headed Mierzejewski’s cross around the far post.
Jamie Young prevented his side from falling further behind late in the half after Alex Brosque shook off the attention of Jacob Pepper.
The visitors steadied after the restart and appeared to have a found a foothold until Papadopoulos and Simon were both dismissed with 15 minutes to play.
The incident hardly affected the Sky Blues, though, as Ryall all-too-easily extended the margin from Jordy Buijs’ free-kick.
Anthony Kalik could have added a fourth off the bench, but Young did well to smother the chance.
Hingert instead reduced the deficit in stoppage time but it mattered little for either side.