Mathew Leckie’s 91st-minute winner has helped Melbourne City move back to the top of the A-League Men table after they secured a 2-1 win over Sydney FC in the grand final rematch on Saturday night.
REACTION: ‘We always knew the quality Leckie had’ – Nabbout
Patrick Kisnorbo’s side had Sydney’s Paulo Retre to thank for their opener after he bundled the ball into his own net in the 32nd minute at Jubilee Oval.
Milos Ninkovic then hit back for the Sky Blues in the second half but just as the game was drawing to a close, Leckie cut in from the flank and fired in to seal a win for the visitors.
Kisnorbo’s side moved two points clear of second-placed Western United, although the latter have two games in hand and play Perth Glory on Sunday.
For Steve Corica, who was celebrating his 100th league game in charge of the club, this was a tale of Sydney failing to take their chances.
Adam Le Fondre, Rhyan Grant and Anthony Caceres all had opportunities to give the home side the advantage in the opening 30 minutes but none of them were able to fashion an opener.
For all of Sydney’s dominance, it was City who hit the lead when they surged up field on the counter through Jamie Maclaren.
The Socceroos forward raced into open space and squared from the left for Leckie.
Andrew Redmayne prevented Leckie from scoring but the deflection bounced into Retre’s path, cannoned off his shins and trickled into the net.
Sydney’s equaliser came by way of a set-piece when Anthony Caceres’ corner was poorly cleared by Curtis Good.
The City defender could only poke the ball away as far as Ninkovic and the midfielder rifled in from close range to bring his team level in the 53rd minute.
Corica soon opted to bring striker Bobo into the contest to replace Adam Le Fondre.
But the Brazilian, who has been at his most prolific in this fixture, was unable to shake things up for Sydney.
Leckie would not be so wasteful as the clock ticked into added time and he cut in from the right.
The City forward’s strike from the edge of the box bouncedin off the post and past Redmayne to seal their third straight win.
Re-live: Sydney v City, as it happened
By Matt Comito for KEEPUP
FULL-TIME: SYDNEY 1-2 CITY
Total drama at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, as the visitors go ahead in stoppage time through a Mathew Leckie strike to take all three points off the Sky Blues.
Watch the full highlights below.
GOAL! Leckie puts City up at the death (9.33pm AEDT)
It’s the Socceroos striker in stoppage time putting City in the lead, sneaking a low, driven strike past the reach of Redmayne, off the post and into the back of the net.
City have just minutes to survive now before snatching all three points in the grand final rematch.
REACTION: ‘We always knew the quality Leckie had’ – Nabbout
GOAL! Ninković with the equaliser (8.55pm AEDT)
Miloš Ninković has drawn the home side level, pouncing on a loose ball in the box after a number of deflections to convert from a tight angle.
Just minutes later the Serbian had the opportunity to put his side level with his second goal of the game, but blasted his close-range shot high over the bar.
GOAL! Calamity for Retre as City take lead through own goal (8.18pm AEDT)
That’s unfortunate for Paulo Retre.
Tracking back to pressure Jamie Maclaren who was storming in on goal, Retre arrived in the box just as the City striker crossed to Leckie, whose strike repelled off Sydney keeper Andrew Redmayne and ricocheted off Retre and into his own net.
The champions take a 1-0 lead in the grand final rematch.
KICK-OFF (7.45PM AEDT)
Play gets underway at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium with City chasing top spot on the Isuzu UTE A-League table.
PRE-MATCH
It’s a grand final rematch to savour at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, with Melbourne City looking to leap back to the top of the table with a three-point display.
Sydney FC need to find a way to make their attack click, scoring just two goals from 57 shots across their last three A-League Men’s fixtures. City, meanwhile, have had no such attacking issue, scoring 15 goals in their last five games. The champions have clicked up front in a dangerous sign to the rest of the league.
