Sydney FC are through to the Westfield FFA Cup Final for a second straight year following an impressive 5-1 win over South Melbourne at Lakeside Stadium on Wednesday night.
The reigning Hyundai A-League Champions blew their PS4 NPL opponents away in the opening 20 minutes, with goals to David Carney and Bobo putting the Sky Blues in control.
South Melbourne pulled a goal back just after the break but their resistance was short-lived as quick-fire goals to Bobo and Sebastian Ryall all but sealed the win for Sydney FC.
Substitute Matt Simon netted a late goal to put the stamp on a dominant performance for the Sky Blues.
Graham Arnold’s side will now face either Western Sydney Wanderers or Adelaide United in the final.
FT | We're through to our second successive @FFACup Final!! A brief scare before showng our belief & quality! #SydneyIsSkyBlue #SOMvSYD pic.twitter.com/S41CVC6kii
— Sydney FC (@SydneyFC) October 11, 2017
STORY OF THE GAME
*Sydney FC raced out of the blocks with David Carney firing Graham Arnold’s side in front inside the opening five minutes.
*South Melbourne’s Marcus Schroen spurned a decent chance from a header less than five minutes later before he was forced off with a knee injury shortly after.
*The Sky Blues continued to dominate and went further ahead with Bobo capitalising on some excellent build-up from Jordy Buijs.
*David Carney and Alex Brosque both had brilliant chances saved as the A-League outfit threatened to run riot just before the break.
*South Melbourne came out firing at the start of the second stanza and pulled a goal back through Leigh Minopoulous.
*Conditions deteriorated as the game progressed with steady rain and swirling winds making it difficult for both teams to maintain possession.
*South’s Matt Millar almost pulled off a stunning long-range lob on the hour mark but his effort over the retreating Redmayne skewed just wide of the goal.
*Two goals in six minutes to Bobo and Sebastian Ryall killed off any hope of a South Melbourne revival before a late strike to Matt Simon put the stamp on a big Sydney FC win.
Here's the goal that sealed @SydneyFC's 5-1 passage into the #FFACup Final!!! #SOMvSYD #MagicOfTheCup pic.twitter.com/m2aK9lnn83
— Australia Cup (@AustraliaCup) October 11, 2017
GOALS
0-1 Sydney FC, David Carney, 4’
Sky Blues skipper Alex Brosque threaded the ball in behind for Carney with the former Socceroo showing great composure before firing a powerful effort past South Melbourne keeper Nikola Roganovic.
0-2 Sydney FC, Bobo, 18’
Centre-back Jordy Buijs surged forward into midfield and found Bobo on the edge of the area before the Brazilian expertly slotted the ball into the bottom corner.
1-2 South Melbourne, Leigh Minopoulous, 47’
Kristian Konstantinidis pounced on a loose ball just outside the box and found Minopouolous inside the area, with the substitute gathering well before lashing a fizzing strike past Andrew Redmayne.
1-3 Sydney FC, Bobo, 66’
Alex Brosque drove into the box before sliding the ball across to Bobo who cleverly back-heeled the ball past the helpless Roganovic.
1-4 Sydney FC, Sebastian Ryall, 73’
The fullback pounced on a loose ball inside the area before swiveling and blasting a rasping strike into the back of the net.
1-5 Sydney FC, Matt Simon, 83′
Bobo found space inside the box before cutting the ball back to Simon who bundled the ball home from close range.
