Sydney FC have ended their three-game winless run with a 3-0 triumph over 10-man Melbourne Victory, set up by a first-half Joe Lolley brace at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.
Lolley scored the opening goal 87 seconds after kick-off and less than 15 minutes later, the visitors were reduced to ten men when Zinedine Machach was sent off for a challenge on Sydney defender Jordan Courtney-Perkins.
Sydney doubled their lead in the 26th minute when Douglas Costa picked out Lolley in the box with a superb cross for the Englishman to secure his brace and although the undermanned Victory fought bravely through the second half, substitute Jaiden Kucharski added a third goal to the scoresheet in the 84th minute to put the result beyond doubt.
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Victory came into Saturday night’s Big Blue with a chance to jump Adelaide United into second spot on the Isuzu UTE A-League table but instead remained third, one point behind the Reds and five behind league leaders Auckland FC.
Sydney FC, meanwhile, jumped up to seventh with their first win in four games.
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It took just 87 seconds for Sydney FC to find the opening goal and it was Lolley who put the hosts in front with a close-range finish that deflected off the shoulder of Victory keeper Jack Duncan, off the post and over the line in a blistering start by the Sky Blues.
Trailing 1-0, Victory were then reduced to 10 men in the 15th minute when Zinedine Machach received a red card after a VAR review for a foul on Sydney defender Jordan Courtney-Perkins.
On-field referee Adam Kersey was asked by VAR to inspect the challenge on the pitchside monitor and returned to the field of play after the review to communicate his decision via live VAR comms: “After review, the tackle is with the studs to the shin with excessive force, the final decision is a red card.”
Football Australia’s Head of Referees Jon Moss then provided further explanation of the decision via a statement released in the aftermath of Machach’s dismissal:
“The direct red card was for Serious Foul Play. Foot of the Victory player went over the ball, foot made contact above the ankle on Sydney player, and upon review by the referee, it was deemed Serious Foul Play.”
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Sydney FC took advantage of their one-man advantage to carve out a two-goal lead before half-time, as Lolley doubled his tally for the night.
Leading the line for the Sky Blues in the absence of injured Patryk Klimala, Lolley attacked the six-yard box like a true number nine to meet Douglas Costa’s superb delivery off the right wing, and secured his brace with a diving header.
Lolley thought he’d scored a third before half-time but an offside call on Rhyan Grant in the build-up denied the Englishman a hat-trick.
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Sydney were dealt an injury blow early in the second half when Costa was withdrawn just minutes after the restart, and replaced by Kucharski. The Brazilian was seen icing his right hamstring in the aftermath of his substitution as the Sky Blues continued without their star winger.
Soon after, Sydney looked to have scored for a third time when Courtney-Perkins put the ball in the back of the net but the defender was denied a goal due to a push on Brendan Hamill before he gained possession in the box.
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Down a man and trailing 2-0, Victory continued their search for a way back into the contest and almost found one when Kasey Bos ventured forward to meet Jason Geria’s cross to the edge of the six-yard box.
Bos rose over Grant as he leapt to make contact with the delivery but got underneath the ball as his header went just over the bar.
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Bruno Fornaroli was busy for Victory after coming off the bench and in the 80th minute, whipped a free-kick just wide of the target as Victory stepped up their pursuit of a deficit-halving goal.
But after 86 minutes at Allianz Stadium, Sydney broke Victory’s resolve with a third goal that put the result out of sight.
Lolley once again came close to a hat-trick goal, blasting a shot form a tight angle off the post, but Sydney quickly regained possession and attacked down the right side of the penalty area through Grant, who picked out Kucharski for the knockout blow.
