Exciting 17-year-old forward Archie Goodwin scored twice in his first A-League Men appearance of the season, as a vastly depleted Newcastle scored a 2-0 home win over Sydney FC.
REACTION: FOOTBALL’S ‘ATOMIC CONNECTION’: HOW LOCAL JETS TALENT INSPIRES A COMMUNITY
Playing his first senior game in in nearly ten months, local product Goodwin scored well taken goals in the 41st and 43rd minutes of Friday’s match at McDonald Jones Stadium.
With COVID, injuries and international call ups ravaging their squad Newcastle approached the APL about the possibility of the postponing the game. But the Jets were told that there was no opportunity for the game to be rescheduled and a postponement would lead to a no result with no points awarded.
The Jets run on side included just four starters from last weeks 4-0 win over Wellington with leading scorer Beka Mikeltadze, Angus Thurgate and Jason Hoffman among the unavailable players.
Newcastle had just one of their three goalkeepers available and only signed a backup less than five hours before the game.
Goodwin and 20-year-old youngster Lucas Mauragis stepped up magnificently and showed plenty of zest against a lacklustre Sydney.
Mauragis, who had a superb third-minute volley acrobatically tipped over by Sky Blues goalkeeper Thomas Heward-Belle, later produced a superb chip to the far post which Goodwin headed home.
Goodwin doubled the Jets’ lead two minutes later when he raced onto a through ball from Brazilian Daniel Penha and cooly slid the ball past Heward-Belle.
“Its been a tough journey for me pre-season and just getting back on the field is a relief and just happy to score goals,” Goodwin told Paramount Plus.
Notching back-to-back wins for the first time this season, Newcastle moved up three places to seventh, just three points and one spot behind Sydney, who have played two more games.
The visitors, who were without Socceroos Andrew Redmayne and Rhyan Grant, dropped one place to sixth, below Melbourne Victory on goal difference.
Sydney took 40 minutes to get a shot on target, but were more dangerous in the second half, especially after coach Steve Corica brought on Trent Buhagiar and Kosta Barbarouses in the 50th minute for Milos Ninkovic and Luciano Narsingh.
Buhagiar, Adam Le Fondre and substitute Bobo all went close for the Sky Blues, but Newcastle also had chances in the final quarter.
Substitute Eli Babalj shot weakly at Heward-Belle and Taylor Regan had what would have been his first ALM goal in eight years rubbed out after VAR spotted a teammate offside.
RE-LIVE: NEWCASTLE JETS 2-0 SYDNEY FC, AS IT HAPPENED
By Matt Comito for KEEPUP
80′: OFFSIDE! Regan scores – but VAR intervenes (2-0)
Jets centre-back Taylor Regan thought he’d scored his first A-Leagues goal since January 2014, heading home a well-worked Jets routine after Matthew Jurman’s header across goal.
Regan ran over to the Newcastle fans to spark passionate scenes of celebration – but by the time the two teams had reset in preparation for play to resume, VAR had found Jurman venturing into an offside position in the build-up to the goal.
66′: Stirring ovation for Mauragis and Goodwin as Jets ring the changes (2-0)
A double substitution from Jets boss Arthur Papas saw Goodwin and Mauragis replaced by Eli Babalj and Dylan Murnane.
The home fans at McDonald Jones Stadium rose to their feet to deliver their young stars a standing ovation.
46′: SECOND HALF UNDERWAY (2-0)
The Jets are two goals to the good at the start of the second half thanks to Goodwin’s quick-fire brace.
42′: GOAL! Goodwin strikes twice in as many minutes (2-0)
It’s Goodwin again for the Jets! This is incredible stuff from the Newcastle local. Just moments after opening the scoring Goodwin was in again, this time found by a magnificent Penha pass to slot his second goal of the night past Heward-Belle.
It’s the Jets’ young brigade stealing the show at McDonald Jones Stadium!
41′: GOAL! Archie Goodwin with the leaping header puts Jets in front (1-0)
In his first start of the season, 17-year-old Goodwin has put the Jets into the lead with a soaring header set up by fellow Jets youngster Lucas Mauragis.
38′: CHANCE! Penha misses golden chance… but Penha’s offside! (0-0)
Olivier Boumal was put in behind the Sydney defence by Brandon Wilson, and his cut-back found Penha near the penalty spot – but the Brazilian’s shot sailed over the crossbar.
In the aftermath, the linesman’s flag was raised with Boumal found to be well offside before receiving Wilson’s through ball.
27′: CHANCE! Ninković almost scores inadvertently (0-0)
An Anthony Caceres shot from outside the box looked set to test Jets keeper Jack Duncan. But the shot struck the body of Miloš Ninković streaming in on goal, dribbling just past the post and out for a goal kick.
The offside flag might have been raised had the ball hit the back of the net.
3′: CHANCE! Mauragis wonder-strike denied by superb Heward-Belle save (0-0)
A lofted Daniel Penha through ball pierced the Sydney FC defensive line, and Lucas Mauragis ventured forward to meet it.
His dinked attempt looked sure to drop into the back of the net before a magnificent save from Thomas Heward-Belle denied the home fans a moment to savour.
1′: KICK-OFF (0-0)
We’re underway at McDonald Jones Stadium!
