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Terry McFlynn was honoured for 100 A-League appearances for Sydney FC prior to kickoff with major shareholder David Traktovenko presenting the Captain and foundation player with a token of the club’s appreciation prior to kick off. McFlynn would take no part in the match due to an injury sustained at training in the week, whilst Sydney welcomed one half of the ‘killer bees’ in Mark Bridge back into the starting line up from injury.
New signing Bruno Cazarine would not take part in the match as the Brazilian’s work permit had not yet been approved. Instead Kofi Danning retained his place at the top of the pitch as Sydney reverted to its usual 4-4-2 with a midfield diamond; Nick Carle at number 10.
Teenager Matthew Ryan, 18, debuted in goal for the injured former Juventus gloveman, Jess Vanstrattan, whose season ended with a ruptured ACL that will see him sidelined for the next 12 months.
Graham Arnold had his Mariners starting with a predominantly defensive mindset and promptly began chasing leather from the first minute.
Sydney FC did their best to get the Mariners into the match early on as their new combinations failed to gel following the off-season departures of the spine of the team. How clear it has become that Simon Colosimo, Karol Kisel, Steve Corica and John Aloisi aren’t present, and despite Seb Ryall showing signs of significant development into a mature professional with a sensational attempt on goal in the 33rd minute, his combination with the all too static Stephan Keller acts to stifle the generation of attacking raids.
This caused Mark Bridge to drop deeper to assist in the creative process and all too often left Kofi Danning looking isolated at the top centrally akin to last week against the Roar in Brisbane.
Oliver Bozanic showed enterprise on the left and at times made a fleet-footed Shannon Cole look slower than he is, ghosting past and regularly attempting to release a characteristically frantic Matt Simon.
Rostyn Griffiths and Patrick Zwaanswijk worked admirably to nullify Nick Carle’s invention as Arnold’s chargers showed they have been drilled into a compact unit.
In the 12th minute a nice pass from Scott Jamieson released Mark Bridge centrally, whose shot from long-range deflected from the rump of Zwaanswijk and onto young ‘keeper Ryan’s right post.
On 33 minutes, after a few periods of sustained possession through enterprising Sydney midfielders Jamieson, Grant and Carle, Sydney earned a corner. Shannon Cole and Nick Carle ploughed through the Mariner’s left side before squaring it to a willing Ryall at the top of the box whose stinging drive struck the outside of Ryan’s right hand post at the Randwick end; the second time of the evening.
The sides went into half time at 0-0, Sydney marginally the stronger, but neither deserving supremacy.
Straight after the break Sydney scored a goal following a relatively innocuous Byun cross which youngster Ryan fumbled and an obliging Grant poked home on 47 minutes. A forlorn young keeper was almost certainly still in the sheds mentally and in the top flight you don’t get any second chances. Grant who initially look stunned to have scored in front of The Cove regained his composure to complete what is a contender for goal celebration of the year by taking a self-portrait photograph with Jamieson as an amused and elated crowd of a shade over 10,000 looked on.
Mariners’ manager Graham Arnold went to the bench to add new Argentine acquisition Patricio Perez on 52 minutes by withdrawing the biggest man on the pitch in Griffiths, for the most dimunitive. His contribution was immense as the playmaker set about lifting the performance of all the players around him.
As Central Coast pushed forward in search of a goal, Sydney had more room in behind and twin chances from consecutive corners on the hour mark would have made it far more comfortable for the defending Premiers and Champions as the Mariners began to look more incisive in attack.
The ex-Velez Sarsfield number 10 endeared himself to The Cove in a way that no other Mariner has, short of Sasho Petrovski, when following a strong penalty shout waved away by Matthew Breeze in the 66th minute, the young Argentine playmaker found space in the box. Instead of creating space for the shot, Perez dribbled towards Sydney ‘keeper Liam Reddy before drawing a lunge and theatrically collapsing under the weight of Reddy’s left glove. Replays showed that Reddy had not made contact with Perez and Matthew Breeze had missed a clear handball from Matt Simon in the lead up to the incident.
Perez stepped up to score the resulting penalty past replacement ‘keeper Ivan Necevski as Breeze, officiating in his 100th A-League fixture, dismissed Reddy as the last man.
Breeze lost control of the occasion somewhat with wild challenges beginning to fly in as a normally placid Viteszlav Lavicka began to show emotion.
Central Coast had the better of the play towards full time as they made their numerical advantage show.
Mariners coach Graham Arnold stated at the end of the match that he believed the penalty was legitimate and that Central Coast were the better side.
Lavicka quietly indicated that he was aggrieved with the decision and will appeal the suspension following the red card issued to Liam Reddy.
The draw leaves Sydney FC languishing in second last following an injury time penalty converted by Glory's offseason recruit Robbie Fowler after a similarly poor quality decision by the debutant match official at AAMI Stadium between Melbourne Heart and Perth.
Central Coast face Melbourne Victory in Gosford on Friday night whilst Sydney FC host Adelaide United at Moore Park Road in what should prove a tough encounter against an in-form Rini Coolen run outfit.