Football. It’s a funny game. Just over a week ago, Steve Corica’s job was on the line as Sydney FC’s stuttering Isuzu UTE A-League season continued.
Fast forward to Saturday night and Sydney are within three points of second place.
After taking down Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park on January 26, Sydney backed that up with a thrilling 3-2 win over second-placed Central Coast Mariners on home soil.
For the first time this season, the Sky Blues celebrated consecutive victories in the league.
It sets the stage for a blockbuster derby away to cross-town rivals Western Sydney Wanderers – who could climb to second by the end of the weekend – at CommBank Stadium on Saturday, February 11.
“Very pleased. Obviously at home,” Corica told Paramount+ post-match. “To win, coming from behind, showed great character.
“Massive game next week against the Wanderers. It’s put us in the top six now which is great.
“We look for our third win in a row against the Wanderers if we can manage to play as good as we did today.”
It was a chaotic showdown between resurgent Sydney and the Mariners at Allianz Stadium.
Sydney and Central Coast had players sent off in the first half – Sky Blues star Rhyan Grant was the first to receive his marching orders after bundling over Marco Tulio before Mariners defender Brian Kaltak also saw red.
Adam Le Fondre had put Sydney ahead in the 10th minute, but Socceroo Jason Cummings equalised from the penalty spot and scored again to put the Mariners ahead by half-time.
Le Fondre’s first came after a Max Burgess shot cannoned into him and he reacted the quickest to steer the ball past Mariners goalkeeper Danny Vukovic.
After Grant conceded a penalty and had his yellow upgraded to red, Cummings converted the spot-kick, though Central Coast’s numerical advantage was washed away as Kaltak was dismissed.
Cummings’ 10th goal of the campaign then put the Mariners ahead in the 33rd minute but Sydney hit back in the second half as Joe Lolley and Le Fondre completed the comeback.
“Pretty crazy. I don’t think anyone expected it to go that way. A lot of things to deal with for both sides,” Lolley told Paramount+ of the game.
Sydney are now sixth and back in the finals positions.
“Our form hasn’t been the best here. It’s a beautiful stadium. Two wins back-to-back, that puts us right back up there in the mix,” Lolley added.
‘Never a red card’
Nick Montgomery made it clear how he felt about Central Coast’s red card in their loss to Sydney.
After Grant was dismissed for bundling over Tulio, Kaltak followed moments later for a foul just outside the penalty area.
There was debate whether the foul took place in the box, but the Mariners centre-back was shown a straight red card to the dismay of boss Montgomery.
“The red card for them, being honest it’s not a football tackle. It’s a ram in the back and he is the last man,” Montgomery told reporters.
“They probably feel harshly done by for that but the rules of the game, that’s a red card.
“Then moments later we have the advantage taken away from us with what I can only describe as never a red card.
“Brian is running back down the side of the box, we have Triantis recovering inside the box. He slid and probably got a little bit of the ball, it’s just a tip of his ankle.
“I thought a red card was a two-footed tackle, a headbutt, a handball on the line or whatever.
“Ben is a good referee so I’m not going to talk about referees. I thought he did well today in general. If that’s the VAR red card, I find that hard to understand.”
REPORT – AAP
Adam Le Fondre has had the first and last goal-scoring say as Sydney FC notched back-to-back A-League Men wins for the first time this season with a thrilling 3-2 home win over Central Coast.
Each team had a key defender sent off in the first half and both teams had a turn in the lead before Le Fondre’s sixth goal of the season settled a gripping contest on Saturday.
Le Fondre put Sydney ahead in the tenth minute, but Socceroo Jason Cummings equalised from the penalty spot and scored again to put the second-placed Mariners ahead by halftime.
Le Fondre’s first came after a Max Burgess shot cannoned into him and he reacted the quickest to steer the ball past Mariners goalkeeper Danny Vukovic.
Marco Tulio came close to equalising after being set up by Cummings and the pair combined again moments later.
Tulio threaded the ball through to Cummings, who came into contact with Grant, with referee Ben Abraham awarding a penalty and initially the Sydney defender a yellow card.
After reviewing the incident Abraham upgraded the card to red and Cummings smashed the spot kick home off the underside of the bar.
The Mariners’ numerical advantage lasted just a few minutes with Brian Kaltack dismissed for a foul on Max Burgess just outside the away team’s penalty area.
Cummins scored his tenth goal of the season and put the Mariners ahead in the 33rd minute, when a sleepy Sydney defence didn’t react quickly enough after his awkward first touch and he found the net with his second.
The drama continued in the early stages of the second half.
Le Fondre’s call for a penalty was turned down and a few seconds later Tulio missed a glorious chance to increase the visitors’ lead.
He somehow missed from just a few metres out after Beni Nkololo’s shot had been pushed into his path by Sky Blues goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne.
Cummins shot over the bar before an unmarked Lolley volleyed a Diego Caballo cross into the net to level in the 58th minute.
English veteran Le Fondre displayed his renowned predatory instincts close to goal when he volleyed in a perfect Paulo Retre cross in the 72nd.
