St George City back on track with back-to-back victories
St George City claimed back-to-back victories for the first time in 2024 with a 2-1 win over Manly United in Round 13 National Premier League Men’s NSW action at Penshurst Park.
After going behind early, the hosts fought back finishing the stronger of the two sides in the second half to claim the victory.
The early stages of this match up were played in the St George City attacking half with the visitors struggling to play through the hosts press.
However having withstood the early pressure, Manly United gained confidence and they opened the scoring after the quarter hour. Peter Kekeris floated in a lovely ball to the back post which found Zac Sfiligoi who headed into the far side of the net.
Manly’s set piece threat continuing soon after that with a Alen Aganovic header from a central position in the area saved by Jack Kenny on the line after twenty minutes.
A half where both sides enjoyed periods on top of things, City soon found their equaliser just after the 40th minute. Jason Romero and Presley Ortiz combining to draw things level. Romero releasing Oritz down the right before a return ball allowed Romero to curl his effort into the bottom right corner.
Ortiz went close in the half’s final stages with another Levi Kaye save denying him, both sides going into the break level.
Much like the first half, St George City started the second half on top and this time created an early chance. Louis Khoury released Ortiz with a through ball. Ortiz hitting the left side netting with his shot two minutes after the resumption.
Kosta Petratos followed up that chance with a stinging shot from outside the area before the 50th minute mark.
Kekeris then tried his luck at the other end cutting in from the left however his weak shot was saved by Kenny.
A chance at either end was seen before the 65th minute as Kekeris hit a free-kick from a narrow angle just wide of the right post .
St George City withstood the pressure on took the lead in the 75th minute.
A corner from the left found captain Tarik Ercan at the near post who headed across goal into the right side of the net and it was 2-1 to the hosts.
A penalty inside the final ten minutes gave the hosts a chance to seal the game. Maki Petratos slotted his penalty calmly down the middle to give the hosts their second win at the venue in four days.
Post game, St George City coach Mirko Jurilj saw both positives and negatives from his side.
“Two wins on the trot is a first this season and winning after conceding first is a first so that’s positive.
“It was a game of transition and we didn’t value or respect the ball enough there.
“The players wanted to make it a game of transition but execution let us down going forward and everywhere across the park really and we need to improve on that.“
While Manly United coach Patrick Zwaanswijk reflected on the loss
“At half time we should have been a goal up as they scored on the counter after what could have been a foul.
“We came out in the second half and we controlled the ball a bit better but we didn’t have enough in chances like the first.
“Once you go down 2-1 here, it’s hard to come back against a side who defend well with five players at the back. They deserved it more than us in the second half.”
Match Stats
St George City 3 (Romero 41’, Ercan 76’, K. Petratos 84’)
Manly United 1 (Sfiligoi 18’)
Saturday 4 May 2024
Penshurst Park
Referee: Danny Horstead
Assistant Referees: Mayson Griffith & Thomas Aalders
Fourth Official: Jackson Tippett
St George City FA: 1. Jack Kenny, 2. Cameron Fong (8. Dominic Cox 63’), 4. Solomon-John Monahan-Vaiika, 6. Tarik Ercan, 10. Jason Romero (7, Nathan Roberts 89’), 11. Kosta Petratos, 25. Brodie Clarkson, 30. Presley Ortiz (9. Yerasimakis Petratos 69’), 33. Louis Khoury, 38. Kai Kamikura (5. Fumoto Kamada 46’), 99. Matthew Keremelevski
Unused subs: 3. Joshua Hong,13. Joseph Knowles
Yellow cards: Keremelevski 44’
Red cards: nil
Manly United FC: 1. Levi Kaye, 2. Kieren Paull, 3. Zac Sfiligoi, 4. Jesse Piriz (45. Bilal Belkadi 66’), 6. Saxon Hillyer (8. Joseph Fox 75’), 7. Peter Kekeris (14. Stefan Visscher 85’), 19. Alen Aganovic, 22. Blake Bamgbose, 25. Rocco Pelle, 29. William Faulder (27. Corey Cronin 66’), 39. Stefano Rossello.
Subs not used: 31.Jay Coates, 34. Jack Mason
Yellow Cards: Piriz 41’, Hillyer 75’
Red Cards: None
Player Ratings
3- Louis Khoury (SGC)
2- Tarik Ercan (SGC)
1- Zac Sfiligoi (MU)
By Justin Smith
