Sydney FC has completed a U-NITE Multicultural Round double over the Melbourne Victory, following up the women’s victory hours earlier in the day with a 2-1 win in the A-League Men.
Following a nine-goal thriller in the A-League Women’s match, neutrals across the country would have been hoping for goals to transcend into the men’s clash, with Joe Lolley coming closest inside the opening quarter of an hour flashing a Max Burgess cross across the face of goal.
After being lobbed by Alessandro Diamanti five days prior, Andrew Redmayne was then caught unawares again, with an expertly-placed free-kick from Jake Brimmer curling inside the post to put the hosts into the ascendancy.
After a wonderful goal at one end, Max Burgess wanted in on the action, with his strike from the best part of 20 yards out foxing a flat-footed Matthew Acton, drawing the Sky Blues level.
Just after the half-time interval, Sydney’s English marquees combined, as Joe Lolley sent Adam Le Fondre through on goal, the former Reading striker coolly slotting past Acton to complete the turnaround.
Jason Geria almost answered back immediately moments later, but his looping header prompted a decent save from Redmayne, as he looked to atone for his earlier error in judgement.
Try as they might, the hosts could not restore parity, leaving the club at the bottom of the league and Tony Popovic firmly under pressure.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
WORLD CUP HANGOVER CONTINUES FOR THE VICTORY
A club that is no stranger to winning football matches, it is safe to say Melbourne Victory have found rediscovering that feeling tough of late in the A-League Men.
Following the 2-1 defeat, it is now one win in seven for Tony Popovic’s charges, with their only success this side of the FIFA World Cup coming against the Bulls on December 11.
Despite the fact Popovic won the club’s last piece of silverware in the men’s game less than 12 months ago in the shape of the Australia Cup, speculation will rumble on as long as his team remains rooted at the foot of the league table.
The former Western Sydney boss has a CV that precedes him; laden with continental triumphs, league premierships and cup success, it would be tough to find a manager with a more esteemed pedigree in recent times inside Australian domestic football.
Amidst a wretched season for the team, it will be interesting to see if that pedigree keeps him in the hot seat should Melbourne Victory’s wait for a win continue.
GREY WIGGLE, NO PURPLE PATCH
No matter how Andrew Redmayne’s career pans out from here, a place will be forever reserved for him in Australian footballing folklore after his penalty antics against Peru helped Australia to the World Cup.
In the past two weeks, however, Redmayne has conceded two goals he will not be looking back on fondly, with Diamanti’s beautiful lob and Brimmer’s set-piece both poorly dealt with by the current Sydney custodian.
Granted, both strikes were pieces of intuitive flashes of brilliance, but a goalkeeper of his calibre would surely be hoping for better.
While his spot in the Sydney goal looks relatively secure, Thomas Heward-Belle is certainly no slouch, impressing in brief cameos while he has possessed the gloves.
His spot in the Australian squad is now coming under fierce competition leading into the Asian Cup starting in June, and with Joe Gauci pressing his case, the Socceroos legend may be a thing of the past by the time the Socceroos next step foot in Qatar.
NEW VIKING A DAGGER THROUGH VICTORY HEARTS
Replacing marksman Nick D’Agostino was never a job Melbourne Victory were going to find easy.
The Socceroo was certainly a presence up top in navy blue, netting 17 times in 41 appearances for the club, but his replacements have not hit similar form following his departure.
Bruno Fornaroli looked like a shadow of his former self after he was reinstated to the starting 11 last weekend and was hooked 13 minutes before the 90.
His barren run of goals for the club continued, with only one goal in eight since he first joined the football club, and he was no real threat of adding to the tally.
With Tomi Juric unable to fashion an equaliser in his time on the pitch, Victory fans may well start to worry about where the goals will come from as this campaign rolls on.
Final Score
Melbourne Victory 1 (Jake Brimmer 26m)
Sydney FC 2 (Max Burgess 32m, Adam Le Fondre 52m)
Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images
