Sydney FC sweeps aside A-League leader Phoenix

The race for the A-League Premiers' Plate remains wide open after Sydney FC extended its season-long streak without a loss away from home in an emphatic 3-0 win over Wellington Phoenix at Westpac Stadium on Sunday.

Jacques Faty

Jacques Faty (C) celebrates scoring against Wellington with Sydney FC team-mates. (AAP) Source: SNPA

Ex-Phoenix striker Shane Smeltz celebrated his return to Wellington with a goal and an assist as Sydney fired home three first-half goals to all but wrap up the win before the break.

Both teams finished the match with 10 men, Phoenix midfielder Albert Reira was sent off after receiving a second yellow for fouling Milos Dimitrijevic in the 67th minute, and two minutes later Smeltz saw red after kicking out at Ben Sigmund.

With only four matches left in the regular season, Sydney has yet to lose away from home, although its nine-game unbeaten run was ended by last week's 1-0 loss to Melbourne City.

Wellington still sits atop the league ladder, but now only has a one-point margin over Melbourne Victory, Sydney and Perth Glory.

Phoenix, returning to its home stadium for the first time since early January, only managed a few early chances.

The best came after barely a minute, when striker Joel Griffiths pounced on a loose ball in the box and forced a solid save from Sydney keeper Vedran Janjetovic.

But Sydney's pace down the flanks continued to create opportunities, as the home team struggled to control the midfield and lacked cohesion at the back in the absence of six front-line players away on international duty.

Sydney had no such trouble, despite missing the league's top scorer in Austrian striker Marc Janko.

It hit the front after seven minutes, Smeltz nodding down the corner for Jacques Faty to slam home past Glen Moss.

Smeltz doubled the lead 20 minutes later, timing his run perfectly to latch onto Chris Naumoff's through ball and then leaving Moss no chance of save.

Five minutes before the break, Moss was left flat-footed after a close-range scramble, the ball trickling over the line from a Phoenix touch for an own goal.

The second half offered few chances for either team, the frustrated Phoenix starved of space and ball as Sydney closed out the match.
With only four matches left in the regular season and an unbeaten record away from home, Sydney will be nearing its peak at the right time, Arnold said.

It hosts Adelaide United next week, then travels to Perth to meet the Glory before returning to Wellington in the last game of the regular season.

"What I will say is at the end of these four weeks, because we've got tough games, we're going to be match-hardened for the finals series.

"If we get through that, and if we get through that well, then we'll be match-hardened, much harder than some of the other teams with their run-ins."

Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick said there was no doubt missing six players to the international window had a significant impact on his team, with the absence of striker Nathan Burns and playmaking midfielder Michael McGlinchey particularly heavy.

"We really couldn't get our midfield game going - the stats showed we had more passes than them, but it wasn't in the front half," he said.

"They played two banks of four and made it very difficult for us to get between the lines. We kept giving the ball away, and they would counter attack."


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3 min read
Published 29 March 2015 4:41pm
Updated 29 March 2015 6:52pm

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