St George City power over United 58
St George City extended their unbeaten run in the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s to five games on Sunday defeating Sydney United 58 2-0 at Sydney United Sports Centre.
Franco Maya put the side in front just before halftime before Kosta Petratos added a second from the spot midway through the second half.
United 58 had the ball in the net within two minutes when Patrick Antelmi reacted fastest in the box following a left-sided corner, but he was ruled offside.
St George when forward three minutes later through Petratos who lined up from the left edge of the box, the ball bouncing wide of the near post.
The hosts went close again in the 16th minute as Leroy Jennings clipped a cross from the right to Antelmi at the far post, however, the stretching forward couldn’t direct it goalward.
City returned fired seven minutes later with Maya’s right-sided free-kick finding Dominic Cox in the middle whose downward header was parried away by Luke Cukar.
Cox had another shot only a couple of minutes after his first, this time curling one from the edge of the area forcing Cukar into a flying save to his left.
Antelmi caused more problems for St George just after the half-hour mark, turning well in the box, before clipping the right post with his sliding effort.
Chances continued to trickle through for both teams in the final stages of the first half, and City snatched the lead with a minute of regular time to play.
United 58 defender Bailey Rule’s header back to his goalkeeper was short allowing Maya to nip in and poke it beyond Cukar.
The home side should have made amends straight away as Jennings bore down on goal after latching onto a ball over the top, forcing Yaren Sozer into a sharp save.
St George took their slender into halftime having capitalised on that late Sydney United error.
They nearly added their second just before the hour mark when Pedro Ferrari slipped Cox into the right of the box, the midfielder cannoning a shot off the goal’s frame.
In the 65th minute, City found their second goal with Petratos sending a penalty down the middle after Cox was fouled by Cukar in the box.
Six minutes later, United 58 sought to pull one back when Antelmi stole the ball on the right corner of the box; his consequent shot repelled by Sozer.
With six minutes to play, St George substitute Marley Peterson got into the right of the box and fired towards the near post, but Cukar held on to deny a third.
The side saw out the remaining minutes to make it four wins in their past five matches.
Match Stats
Sydney United 58 FC 0
St George City FA 2 (Franco Maya 44’, Kosta Petratos 65’ penalty)
Sunday 20 August 2023
Sydney United Sports Centre, Edensor Park
Referee: Craig Fisher
Assistant Referees: Matt Staples and Amirhossein Hosnani
Fourth Official: Jackson Mackie
Sydney United 58 FC: 20. Luke Cukar (GK), 3. Bailey Rule, 4. Adrian Vlastelica (C), 5 Anthony Tomelic, 7. Taisei Kaneko, 9. Patrick Antelmi (13. Alessandro Lacalandra 82’), 10 Devante Clut (6. Christopher Payne 62’), 12. Hiyori Kawaguchi, 14. Andreas Agamemnonos, 21. Yianni Fragogiannis (16. Ante Bakmaz 46’), 22. Leroy Jennings (17. Matthew Bilic 62’)
Substitutes Not Used: 37. Dany Ghetti, 50. Joshua Lakkis (GK)
Yellow Cards: Hiyori Kawaguchi 40’
Red Cards: Nil
St George City FA: 1. Yaren Sozer (GK), 2. Pedro Ferrari, 3. Daniel Alessi (C), 4. Brendan Hooper, 8. Dominic Cox, 11. Kosta Petratos, 14. Dean Pelekanos, 23. Franco Maya (9. Marley Peterson 74’), 24. Alexander Kyriacou, 30. Presley Ortiz (7. Nathan Roberts 74’), 70. Maki Petratos (16. Mohammed Khamis 86’)
Substitutes Not Used: 10. Paolo Mitry, 12. Jack Kenny (GK), 25. Andrew Vlahadamis
Yellow Cards: Alexander Kyriacou 43’, Franco Maya 54’, Brendan Hooper 56’, Marley Peterson 90’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3 – Dominic Cox (STG)
2 – Franco Maya (STG)
1 – Patrick Antelmi (SU58)
Report by Timothy Gibson, on Twitter @Timg123_