Sydney FC reaffirmed their place as the Hyundai A-League’s team to beat with a 2-1 win over Newcastle Jets at a sodden Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.
Milos Ninkovic and Bobo scored either side of the break to reclaim top spot from the previously unbeaten Jets, although regular downpours made for an uneasy second half.
Sydney’s second had come via a Jack Duncan blunder and the Sky Blues were hampered by a goalkeeping error of their own as Andrew Redmayne was bamboozled by Dimitri Petratos’ swerving long-range shot.
The goal mattered little, though, with the hosts holding on and climbing two points clear at the summit in Alex Brosque’s 200th appearance.
STORY OF THE GAME
- Ninkovic buried an early opener to give Graham Arnold’s men the perfect start.
- Brosque – on the night he became Sydney’s all-time leading appearance maker – threatened twice in quick succession, David Carney inadvertently blocking a flick-on header on the line before Duncan quelled a one-on-one.
- Bobo, who had earlier blazed over a good chance, failed to make the most of another opportunity amid heavy rain at the end of the first half.
- Joe Champness fluffed a gilt-edged chance to equalise five minutes after the restart. Sent clean through, the youngster placed his finish too close to Redmayne.
- Bobo finally got his goal on the hour, tucking into an empty net courtesy of a horror mistake from Duncan.
- And Redmayne made it six minutes to forget for the shot-stoppers, the Sydney man misreading Petratos’ shot from well outside the area.
- Newcastle’s final chance for an equaliser saw Ben Kantarovski go agonisingly close to poking in Nigel Boogard’s header.
GOALS
Ninkovic, Sydney FC 5′: 1-0
Bobo battled past two defenders on his way into the area before squaring for Ninkovic, who finished into the bottom corner off his left foot.
Bobo, Sydney FC 59′: 2-0
Under no pressure, Duncan inexplicably let the wet ball squeeze out of his grasp and straight to Bobo for a tap-in.
Petratos, Newcastle Jets 65′: 2-1
Redmayne was completely deceived by Petratos’ seemingly harmless shot from distance, which skimmed off the greasy surface.
