Alessandro Lopane emerged as the match-winning hero in his first game of the season after Melbourne City took down finals-chasing Sydney FC 3-2 in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
Back in the A-Leagues for the first time in 328 days following a patella injury that required surgery in pre-season, 20-year-old Lopane scored in the 61st minute to lead City past the Sky Blues and up into third position at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.
City had twice led in a see-sawing contest, which saw the visitors and Sydney trade blows in a thrilling four-goal first half – Medin Memeti and Max Caputo were on target, while Douglas Costa and Jordan Courtney-Perkins found the back of the net for the Sky Blues.
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But returning Lopane’s winner not only gave City their first win away to the Sky Blues since 2022 as they cemented their place in the top four but left AFC Champions League Two semi-finalists Sydney seventh in the standings and three points outside of the top six.
It was all action from the get-go in Sydney as Tilio and Costa flexed their muscles.
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First it was Socceroo Tilio who set the tone with a peach of a delivery for Memeti to put City ahead in the fifth minute.
Sydney were forced into an early change after Leo Sena left the field on a stretcher following a nasty ankle injury.
City looked the biggest threat but Sydney found themselves back on level terms approaching the half-hour mark when Courtney-Perkins met Costa’s corner with a bullet header in the 29th minute.
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The two teams continued to go toe-to-toe.
Tilio was at the heart of it again in the 35th minute – the Australia international’s delicious reverse pass picked out Caputo, who put the ball beyond Sydney goalkeeper Harrison Devenish-Meares.
But City’s lead lasted just four minutes. Costa produced a sublime finish to restore parity – going from provider to scorer in his first goal at Allianz Stadium.
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City restored their lead out of nothing in the 61st minute. In his first game of the season after returning from injury, Lopane was afforded space and went on to find the back of the net from distance.
Ufuk Talay’s Sydney huffed and puffed but they could not find an equaliser in front of their home fans.
