Academy graduates Tiago Quintal and Will Kennedy made their professional debuts in Sydney FC’s contentious 1-0 loss to J1 League title challengers Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the AFC Champions League Two.
The talented prospects came off the bench for their debuts while Marin France made his ACL Two bow at Jubilee Stadium, where Sanfrecce prevailed 1-0 thanks to a 60th-minute header via super-sub Mutsuki Kato.
Kato scored within moments of his introduction in Sydney as Sanfrecce claimed back-to-back wins over the Sky Blues in Group E, while extended the Isuzu UTE A-League club’s drought against Japanese opposition to 16 matches, having never beaten a club from the Asian country before.
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There was controversy, however, after Max Burgess and Sydney were denied a penalty minutes after Sanfrecce took the lead.
Burgess went to ground inside the penalty area but Sydney’s passionate appeals were waived away by the referee.
“That’s a penalty everyday of the week,” said Network 10 co-commentator and former A-Leagues coach Phil Moss.
“Got him in a headlock, wrestle him to the ground in the penalty box.”
Asked about the incident post-game, Burgess said: “In the moment, probably I thought it was.
“But I’ll have to another another look again.”
On the match itself, the Sydney attacker added: “There’s a lot of belief in this squad. We wanted to make an impact tonight, a statement and in large parts I think we did, just didn’t get the win.”
Sydney – who now turn their attention to Sunday’s Isuzu UTE A-League clash with Macarthur Bulls – have six points from four matches as they slipped six points behind Group E leaders Sanfrecce, who are poised to win the group.
For the third straight game, Sydney FC were without star duo Douglas Costa and Joe Lolley.
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Former Melbourne City star Tolgay Arslan made the trip to Sydney with Sanfrecce Hiroshima, however, he was not on the teamsheet as the J1 League title contenders also eye domestic honours in Japan, having slipped two points off the pace with three rounds remaining.
Sidelined with an injury, Costa was a notable onlooker from the press box at Leichardt, where an entertaining opening 45 minutes transpired.
Sydney goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne made a fine save inside six minutes to keep the scores level.
Rhyan Grant almost broke the deadlock nine minutes later but the Sky Blues captain saw his powerful strike somehow kept out by Sanfrecce shot-stopper Keisuke Osako.
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Sydney had another big chance four minutes later when Anas Ouahim’s sublime pass released Adrian Segecic in space but his shot flashed wide of the post.
After Patryk Klimala was denied by the keeper in the 43rd minute, Sanfrecce’s Yoshifumi Kashiwa spurned a gilt-edged chance in the second minute of additional time having somehow missed the target with the goal at his mercy.
Both sides had decent chances early in the second half.
First Sydney dodged a bullet as they watched a Sanfrecce shot whisk wide of the post before Max Burgess’ deflected effort looped just over the bar and onto the roof of the net.
The deadlock was broken on the hour. Mutsuki came off the bench and glanced a header beyond Redmayne.
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Sydney should have been on level terms two minutes later but a “world-class save” from Osako thwarted Ouahim.
The Sky Blues then had their appeals for a penalty waved away moments later in a contentious incident.
Quintal – who previously trialled at French giants Lyon before signing his first pro contract in the off-season – came off the bench to make his senior professional bow and the 18-year-old nearly helped deliver the equaliser for Sydney.
The academy graduate’s brilliant work on the flank saw him get past his opponent as he teed up Burgess, but the latter saw Osako produce another fine stop.
There was another Sydney penalty appeal turned away by the referee, much to the frustration of the Sky Blues after Grant fell to the ground under contact.
