Two teams that have cornered the market on inconsistency this season will duke it out in the race for the Hyundai A-League’s all-important sixth spot on Sunday, when Sydney FC host Newcastle Jets.
Two teams that have cornered the market on inconsistency this season will duke it out in the race for the Hyundai A-League’s all-important sixth spot on Sunday, when Sydney FC host Newcastle Jets.
Sydney hold sixth place on 24 points, two clear of the Jets, but have won just once in their last eight matches – a 2-1 triumph over Gold Coast on January 22.
In their most recent game they needed late heroics from Sebastian Ryall to salvage a 2-2 draw with Melbourne Victory, but it is up front where Vitezslav Lavicka’s men have struggled with their tally of 24 goals the lowest of any club in the top six.
Adding to Sydney’s attacking woes is a hamstring injury suffered by marquee man Brett Emerton in the Victory draw, with the midfielder forced off after just half an hour.
Similarly, Newcastle are struggling to put a decent string of results together, with their gritty 1-0 win over reigning champions Brisbane on Saturday ending a winless streak of five matches.
The Jets are also having problems putting the ball in the back of the net, scoring just 22 so far in the campaign, and the victory against Brisbane was achieved on the back of a dogged defensive display.
After going ahead through a strike from skipper Jobe Wheelhouse in the 23rd minute, Gary van Egmond’s men parked the bus at Suncorp Stadium and despite the best efforts of the Roar, one suspects a call to the RAC may have been Ange Postecoglou’s best chance to budge it.
The Jets’ win ended a drought of 11 months without a road triumph, and they will be hoping to make it two on the trot away from Ausgrid Stadium when they journey to the Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday.
History will be against van Egmond’s side, with their last win over Sydney coming in November 2009.
In their most recent meeting, second-half goals from Bruno Cazarine and Juho Makela helped cancel out Jeremy Brockie’s opener for the Jets in Newcastle.
The Jets’ run home looks to be more difficult than Sydney’s, with away trips to an in-form Perth Glory and Melbourne to play the Victory, before another visit to the SFS to take on Sydney in their final home-and-away game.
By contrast, Sydney will host Glory and Victory, as well as the Wellington Phoenix, with their road trips taking in Adelaide, Central Coast and the Melbourne Heart.
