Sydney hold on to break losing streak

Sydney FC have turned around a woeful five-game goalless streak to beat the Newcastle Jets 2-1 at EnergyAustralia Stadium this evening.

Newcastle could have gone ahead inside the first ten minutes through Wheelhouse. The home side worked the ball to him in space on the left but Reddy got enough on his strike to turn it onto the post. The Jets were left to rue what might have been as their best chance of the half went begging.

The two sides traded half chances but it was the away team who finally got the breakthrough ten minutes from the half.

Elrich blocked Moriyasu’s strike at the far post to avert the initial danger after Cazarine couldn’t quite steer a good cross goalwards, but the Japanese midfielder wouldn’t be denied from the resulting corner. The ball came all the way across the box and Moriyasu was unmarked to sidefoot home through traffic to finally end Sydney’s goal drought.

A calm finish under the circumstances, but Branko Culina must have been less than pleased with his side’s marking.

Boosted by the goal, Sydney continued to get forward for the remaining ten minutes of the half, and in extra time they got their reward.

Petratos scampered clear on a loose ball but Newcastle keeper Ben Kennedy just beat him to it on the edge of the area. Kennedy’s clearance was poor, however, and his weak sidefoot fell to Cazarine. The Brazilian striker made no mistake and found the back of the net past the stranded Kennedy from the edge of the box.

Newcastle came out more brightly in the second half without really creating anything dangerous and Culina went to his bench on the hour mark. Former Sydney striker Petrovski came on for Ryan Griffiths while Jesic was replaced by Haliti.

It was Haliti who gave Newcastle a lifeline. The Jets worked the ball to the striker in the box, he released Zadkovich wide then peeled away to meet Zadkovich’s clever return ball and find the top corner.

Haliti almost set up a leveller five minutes later. He cut in from the left and mishit his shot but Petrovski was on hand at the far post to turn the shot into a useful cross, but his header crashed against the upright.

The Jets were now the only side in the game, and the same man, Haliti, went inches wide in the 75th minute. It was Zadkovich again bursting into the box, but this time his pass was fractionally behind Haliti and the substitute had to control and shoot on the turn under pressure.

Given Sydney’s recent record they may well have been nervous but they steadied themselves in the final ten as the Jets faded and the effort they’d expended in their comeback began to tell.

Relief, then, for Lavicka and Sydney at the final whistle. He will hope this evening’s three points will earn him a stay of execution, for now, at least.