Sydney FC will face Melbourne City in the Isuzu UTE A-League Semi Finals after coming from behind to beat local rivals Western Sydney Wanderers 2-1 at CommBank Stadium on Saturday night.
Of all the teams in the grounds in all the world, it couldn’t get more satisfying for Sydney FC than this. Deep in enemy territory, the Sky Blues pulled off the ultimate heist and left Western Sydney in shock and out of the finals.
Sydney FC are into the A-League Semi Finals and in the most satisfying manner, cutting down the Wanderers and ending their bitter rivals’ season.
Recovering from a goal down, Morgan Schneiderlin giving the home side the lead just before half time, Sydney FC found remarkable reserves of strength and character to own the occasion.
Just weeks after Western Sydney had crushed the Sky Blues on their own turf in a derby that seemed to signify a shift in the city’s balance of power, Sydney FC had the last laugh – one that reverberated through the streets of Parramatta.
A thrilling equaliser from Robert Mak was followed by an unlikely header from Adam Le Fondre as Steve Corica’s side held their nerve in the most hostile of circumstances.
It means Sydney will face the Premiers, Melbourne City, in a two-legged semifinal, and Corica – whose job was thought to be on the line just weeks ago – could raise his arms to the heavens in triumph at the end.
With so much at stake, with the tension palpable, maybe the logjam of so much of the contest was predictable, and neither side gave an inch.
From Sydney FC in particular this was clearly designed to avoid a repeat of the derby in March when the Wanderers went two goals up inside 20 minutes and shredded their rivals over the 90.
The very fact Corica replaced the injured Joe Lolley by pushing Anthony Cacares out wide and deploying Paulo Retre as the defensive shield told a tale of caution, of establishing a bridgehead in the game but without the desire to push beyond it.
With little thrust on the right the Sky Blues sought time and again to hit Robert Mak on their left with the classic crossfield switch, but the structure of this Wanderers side is such that almost every attack ran aground.
Western Sydney were patience personified, rolling possession around the field until the point when they could lift the tempo in search of a chink in the armour.
Set pieces seemed the biggest danger from both teams and both had reason to curse the wasting of significant chances; first Marcelo headed wide from the edge of the six-yard box, then Jack Rodwell twice was able to head corners goalwards without reward.
In the end it took a deflection to cause the breakthrough, a moment of ill luck rather than any inspiration. Seizing on a loose ball, Calem Nieuwenhof drove a low cross that deflected off Luke Brattan and struck Alex Wilkinson in the region of the upper arm. To Sydney’s despair, referee Chris Beath judged it handball – a reasonable call that wasn’t queried by VAR. As a calm head in a frenetic atmosphere, Schneiderlin rolled the penalty down the centre of the goal to convert.
Sydney were stung and tried to take a grip on the contest, pinning the Wanderers back as the game inched towards an hour. Lawrence Thomas saved well from Mak at his near post, then Retre forced his way through the massed ranks in the Western Sydney penalty area but watched his driven cross evade all his teammates.
Western Sydney had to fight their way back and now the gloves were off. Rhyan Grant caught Schneiderlin with a late tackle to earn a caution, and instantly there were 10 players in a scuffle; moments later Ninkovic followed in just as late on Brattan and was also booked.
Finally there was a moment of real quality, and it was enough to wrestle Sydney FC back into the tie. Max Burgess galloped free down the left and his deep cross was headed uncertainly by Traore; fastening on the ball just inside the box, Mak dummied once with style before curling an unstoppable drive past Thomas.
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Now the caution was no more. Borello won possession and streamed forward but couldn’t fashion a chance, then Burgess almost dribbled his way through the Wanderers rearguard. Then Sydney won a corner and amidst the steepling ranks of both sides it was one of the smallest players on the pitch, Le Fondre, who flicked the ball past Thomas with his head.
Wanderers boss Marko Rudan looked aghast and quickly shuffled his pack with a triple substitution. One of then, Daniel Wilmering, immediately found space on the left and his cross was dropped by Andrew Redmayne but desperately cleared.
Then came a golden chance, Yeni Ngbakoto’s arcing freekick somehow headed over by Marcelo from an unmarked position in front of goal. The home captain grabbed the net and roared in frustration. Moments later that frustration was absolute as the final whistle sounded.
Sydney, on this night of nights, was indeed Sky Blue.
