Matt Simon came off the bench to score the winner for Sydney FC who edged his former club Central Coast Mariners 2-1 in Gosford on Saturday.
In a game that burst into life in the final 10 minutes, Central Coast equalised late and finished the stronger of the two before Simon’s intervention as he headed home the winner in stoppage time.
Sydney can now wrap up the Premiership trophy on Thursday night in Perth.
SEE THE GOALS AND RELIVE THE GAME HERE
STORY OF THE GAME
- SAVE Ben Kennedy keeping out Sydney FC’s Bobo in the main chance of a dour opening 25 mins.
- GOAL Milos Ninkovic gives the Sky Blues the lead on 31 mins.
- HALF-TIME 0-1 Cautious approach by the hosts undone by Ninkovic’s excellent header.
- CHANCE Ninkovic on the burst slips it through to Bobo but Rose blocks his low shot.
- BOBO MISSES! The Brazilian put through on goal but he shot low and wide on 68 mins.
- HOOLE MISSES! A tame effort saved by Redmayne as CCM dominate the final stages
- GOAL! Jake McGing with the equaliser on 82 mins.
- GOAL! Matt Simon, who came on for Bobo, stoops low to head home the second goal in stoppage time.
GOALS
Ninkovic Sydney FC 0-1, 31′
Retre with a deft curling cross from the right wing and Ninkovic gets goal-side of Baro to head past Kennedy. A rare headed goal for the Serbian.
McGing CCM 1-1, 82′
Pain finds Brama who burst through some flimsy defence to feed McGing to slide home the equaliser.
Simon Sydney FC 1-2, 92′
Matt Simon got on the end of a deflected cross from Retre and he stooped low to angle home the winner.
