Sydney and Perth produced different results but there’s some painful similarities in their games last week.
Date: Sunday December 21
Kick-off: 5pm local (AEST)
Venue: Sydney Football Stadium
Live and exclusive broadcast on FOX Sports 1 and Sky Sport 3. Hyundai A-League club radio broadcast partner is 6PR (Perth). To purchase tickets visit www.premier.ticketek.com.au
Head-to-head
Past 11 Hyundai A-League meetings: Sydney FC – 4 wins, Perth Glory – 2 wins, Draws – 5.
Previous meeting
Perth Glory 2, Sydney FC 1, Members Equity Stadium Round 8, October 2008
Past Five Games
Sydney FC:
Round 11: Sydney FC 1, Wellington Phoenix 2, Sydney Football Stadium
Round 12: Adelaide United 2, Sydney FC 0, Hindmarsh Stadium
Round 13: Sydney FC 1, Queensland Roar 1, Sydney Football Stadium
Round 14: Newcastle Jets 1, Sydney FC 2, EnergyAustralia Stadium
Round 15: Central Coast 2, Sydney FC 1, Bluetongue Stadium
Perth Glory:
Round 11: Perth Glory 2, Newcastle Jets 2, Members Equity Stadium
Round 12: Queensland Roar 4, Perth Glory 1, Suncorp Stadium
Round 13: Perth Glory 2, Central Coast Mariners 2, Members Equity Stadium
Round 14: Perth Glory 3, Melbourne Victory 1, Members Equity Stadium
Round 15: Wellington Phoenix 1, Perth Glory 1, Westpac Stadium
Analysis
Sydney and Perth produced different results but there’s some painful similarities in their games last week.
Sydney FC worked hard to get back into the contest and eventually found an equaliser through a John Aloisi penalty. They were then heartbroken as Mile Jedinak scored the match-winner for the Mariners late in the contest.
The Glory took a point out of its clash with the Wellington Phoenix but it also felt disappointed with the result. Eugene Dadi put them in front at the 75th minute but Tim Brown hit back eight minutes later.
Both teams gave up competition points in the second half last week and will be keen to make amends this Sunday.
The Sky Blues have dropped three of their last five games and have lost some of the cohesion and poise they displayed during happier times earlier in the season.
Goalkeeper Clint Bolton, Iain Fyfe and Beau Busch will be keen to lift after the Mariners game while the team’s supporters are hopeful last week’s goal scorer Aloisi can get some momentum heading into Christmas.
Perth coach Dave Mitchell has warned Sydney not to take his side lightly and with due cause. The Glory have taken six points from their last five games and is in striking distance of the four if they can get on a roll.
That run-on seems a possibility with the club noting a more settled approach by its players since Mitchell signed for a further two years as manager.
But whether they can produce against Sydney FC is another matter.
Both teams have blown leads more than once this year so it’ll be interesting to see which side keeps it together in the final minutes of the contest.
Sydney to break back into the winners’ circle with a 1-0 win.
Sydney FC Squad. 1. Clint BOLTON (gk), 2. Iain FYFE, 7. Rob MIDDLEBY, 8. Stuart MUSIALIC, 10. Steve CORICA (c), 12. Shannon COLE, 14. Alex BROSQUE, 16. Chris PAYNE, 19. Mark BRIDGE, 20. Ivan NECEVSKI (gk), 23. John ALOISI, 28. Bobby PETTA, 29. Beau BUSCH, 31. Antony GOLEC, 32. Brendan GAN.
Perth Glory Squad. 30.Tando VELAPHI (gk), 1.Jason PETKOVIC (gk), 2.Nikolai TOPOR-STANLEY, 3.David TARKA, 5.Jamie HARNWELL, 7.Nick RIZZO, 9.Adrian TRINIDAD, 11.Scott BULLOCH, 13.Nikita RUKAVYTSYA, 14.Eugene DADI, 16.Adriano PELLEGRINO, 17.James DOWNEY, 19.Naum SEKULOVSKI, 21.Mark LEE, 22.Wayne SRHOJ, 25.Marc ANTHONY, 28.Andrija JUKIC.
In. 9.Adrian TRINIDAD (return from injury), 21.Mark LEE (promoted).
