Sydney FC have come from behind to score a courageous 2-1 win over the Newcastle Jets in a typically tough F3 derby at Ausgrid stadium on Saturday evening.
Sydney FC have come from behind to score a courageous 2-1 win over the Newcastle Jets in a typically tough F3 derby at Ausgrid stadium on Saturday evening.
The Jets controlled play in the first half and deservedly took a 1-0 lead into the break after a crisp Jeremy Brockie volley in the 25th minute.
But Sydney showed more venom in the second half and duly equalised through Bruno Cazarine on the hour mark.
Sydney substitute Juho Makela completed a spirited comeback with a glancing header six minutes from full-time to give the Sky Blues a well-earned 2-1 win.
The victory lifts Sydney into third place on 18 points while the Jets remain off the pace on 13 points after their second loss at home.
The match started brightly and it was the home side who looked the goods early.
The Jets created a golden opportunity to opening the scoring in the 11th minute when Jobe Wheelhouse burst into space down the left wing before sending a delightful cross where Francis Jeffers met the ball on the run but could only spoon his first-time shot over the crossbar.
The Jets threatened again five minutes later when left back Byun saw rocketed of a shot that was swallowed up by Sydney goalkepper Liam Reddy.
The Jets eventually profited from their pressure when Ruben Zadkovich disposed Michael Beauchamp on the halfway line and sprinted away down the left wing. His cross into the box was half cleared by a header from Sydney skipper Terry McFlynn but the ball fell to Brockie who slammed home the volley from 12 metres for his fourth goal of the season to put the Jets ahead 1-0 after 25 minutes.
Sydney looked to hit back and almost did via some nice interplay from Karol Kisel and Nicky Carle engineered a lovely scoring opportunity for Bruno Cazarine but some scrambling defence from Elrich, Tiago and Kennedy saw the ball cleared.
Jeffers ran onto a great through ball from Wehreman in the 38th minute, but Reddy did well to come off his line and clear the threat while down the other end Kennedy produced a great smothering save to deny Carle when the wily No.10 found himself unmarked just inside the area and the team went to the break with the Jets leading 1-0.
Rhyan Grant came on for Emerton at half-time after the Socceroos international looked to have picked up a hamstring strain and it was Sydney who seemed hungrier, making good runs and getting in behind the Jets defence.
Grant was quickly into the action and fired a shot that was well saved by Kennedy.
A few moments later Shannon Cole got into good space on the edge of the area but shot over the bar then a Dimitri Petratos cross found Cazarine at the back post but he fired his header narrowly wide.
The visitors converted their pressure with an equaliser in the 59th minute. A Grant cross found Kisel in space near the byline and he slide a lovely pass across the face of goal where Cazarine tapped in to make it 1-1.
Both coaches showed their intention to win bringing on strikers for the final half hour. The Jets brought on Labinot Haliti for Jeffers while Sydney replaced Petratos with Makela and then Cazarine with Mitchell Mallia in the 75th minute.
The visitors looked the more likely to grab the winner though with Mallia firing narrowly wide before Kennedy did well to save a pile-driver from Carle from the edge of the area in the 78th minute.
Newcastle took their last throw of the dice by bringing on in-form youngster Chris Payne for Brockie with eight minutes to go.
But it was Sydney who grabbed the winner six minutes from time following a corner. The ball was half-cleared by Griffiths but only as far as Pascal Bosschaart on the edge of the area and he looped a ball back into the box where a glancing header from Maklea found the back of the net.
To rub salt into the wound the Jets were reduced to 10 men when Wheelhouse picked up his second yellow of the match with five minutes to go.
Carle went within inches of completing a great match when his danced through the Jets defence only to stab his into the side netting.
Newcastle Jets 1
Brockie 25-
Sydney FC 2
Cazarine 59-, Makela 84-
Crowd 13,658 at Ausgrid Stadium
