A controversial Karol Kisel penalty in the final minute of injury time has given Sydney FC an astonishing 3-2 win over Gold Coast in a pulsating Hyundai A-League encounter at the SFS.
A controversial Karol Kisel penalty in the final minute of injury time has given Sydney FC an astonishing 3-2 win over Gold Coast in a pulsating Hyundai A-League encounter at the SFS.
Kisel coolly slotted home the winner after Gold Coast striker Dylan Macallister was ruled to have tugged Michael Beauchamp’s shirt inside the Sydney box.
It was a cruel way to lose a game, the visitors barely having time to kick-off before referee Peter Green called a halt.
It was the third week in a row Sydney have forced their way back into a match after falling behind.
But the club’s first home win of the season looked at name your own odds early in the second half.
Goals to Kristian Rees and the Sydney-born Macallister either side of the break appeared to have the visitors in the driver’s seat until a frenetic two-minute period turned the game on its head.
Striker Bruno Cazarine, introduced to the game at half-time, pulled a goal back for Sydney on the hour before the ever-present Nicky Carle equalised three minutes later.
The composed Kisel finished the job in front of more than 11,000 delirious fans.
United were a goal to the good after 22 minutes when Rees prospered from some poor marking to steer Robson’s corner home from the edge of the six-yard box.
It was Rees’ second goal in as many weeks and a fitting way to celebrate his 100th Hyundai A-League game.
Then, in the space of two minutes, the Sky Blues twice went close to equalising but came up empty.
They were denied by a brilliant piece of defending on the first occasion, Gold Coast skipper Michael Thwaite performing the near impossible to stop a goal-bound effort from Mark Bridge.
Thwaite refused to give up on the ball after Bridge lifted it over the keeper’s head and directed his lob into the right-hand corner of the net.
The United captain reached the ball on the full, hooking it from underneath the bar and only just narrowly avoiding a collision with the right post.
No wonder Sydney coach Vitezslav Lavicka shook his head ruefully.
Somehow Miron Bleiberg’s men survived to take a 1-0 lead to the sheds and then doubled the advantage 50 seconds after re-emerging.
A lovely pass from Peter Jungschlager put Macallister one-on-one with Liam Reddy and the big striker kept his composure to round the keeper and slide the ball into the back of the net.
Gold Coast were on pretty good terms with themselves as the hour neared but it was all to turn ugly.
A goal produced in Holland and finished in Brazil – Pascal Bosschaart’s cross headed past a stranded Glenn Moss by the forceful Cazarine – handed the Sky Blues a lifeline.
Carle stepped up the rescue mission three minutes later, pouncing on Bridge’s blocked shot on goal and slamming the rebound inside Moss’ near post.
The popular Carle dropped to his knees in front of The Cove, his tally now three goals in as many games.
But there was one more twist to come, Kisel’s penalty sealing a memorable – if controversial – win to hoist Sydney into fourth spot on the table.
Sydney FC 3 (Cazarine 60, Carle 63, Kisel 94)
Gold Coast 2 (Rees 22, Macallister 46)
Crowd:11,051 at the Sydney Football Stadium
