Relegation woes continues for Sydney FC as Wolves produce 5-star performance
Sydney FC’s fears of facing relegation have deepened following a tough 5-1 loss to a hungry Wollongong Wolves outfit at the Ilinden Sports Centre on Friday.
First-half goals to Taki Ofuka and Yagoub Mustafa put paid to FC’s plans before the break as the Wolves started like a house on fire.
Matters worsened for the home side at the start of the second-half when a cushioned header from Lachlan Scott found the net but a late own goal via Darcy Madden, from a Namory Conde cross reducing the lead to two but additional strikes to substitute Jake Trew and Chris McStay wrapped up the scoring.
Despite what was at stake, Banri Kanazumi headed wide from a corner inside three minutes and Sebastian Hernandez flicked another wide of the upright for the Reds before FC settled into their rhythm. Wataru Kamijo replied with a thunderous long range shot that fizzed over the bar ensuring the Wolves needed to keep alert, particularly when Ayouk Mow attempted to catch ‘keeper Vedran Janjetovic off his line but overhit the effort.
Gus Hoesfloot, FC’s ‘keeper, saved comfortably from another Hernandez strike from the edge of the area and was down again to gather from Ofuka, who may have been better served to send the ball in for the galloping McStay, but neither attempt truly troubled the gloveman.
However, Hoesfloot, after an initial parry, was powerless to stop a thumping drive from Ofuka, instrumental in much of the good play for Wolves, in the 22nd minute that rippled the back of the net to open the scoring. It had been heavy going for both sides to create decent scoring opportunities but the visitors took this one through a mixture of determination, patience and hard graft.
Ofuka set up McStay with a good run down the left and crossed for the midfielder who caught the ball sweetly to force Hoefsloot into a stunning save low to his right. It was the best move of the match to date with a super stop at the end.
Janjetovic was brave to dive at the feet of Mow on the half-hour but immediately Wolves broke and Mustafa was on hand to double the visiting lead. Unfortunately it left the Sky Blues with the familiar feeling during this campaign of having to chase the game which would always leave them vulnerable at the back.
Mitchell Glasson curled one wide for the home side just before the break hoping to kick-start a revival but it would be Wollongong who held the advantage at half-time.
Both Manager’s kept faith with their starting eleven for the second-half kick-off, no changes being made.
Sydney FC’s woes deepened when a cross from the left was met by Scott who looped the ball over the ‘keeper with a wonderfully cushioned header into the far corner of the net to extend the lead further just six minutes after the restart. His night would end early when substituted by Jake Trew with twenty minutes remaining.
Jacob Brazete responded when setting off on a weaving run out to the left before attempting to fire back across goal however; the effort lacked power allowing Janjetovic to gather easily.
Sydney FC emptied their bench by the 67th minute as wholesale substitutions took place leaving only back-up ‘keeper Daniel Solsky to sit out the match.
At 3-nil down it became imperative to utilize any and all tactics in an attempt to garner anything from the game.
Brazete headed over from a free-kick for a foul awarded that saw Madden have his name taken, but the Academy side have struggled to find the net this campaign despite the decent brand of football they are producing but a stroke of good fortune fell their way when substitute Namory Conde saw his shot-cum-cross deflected into the net, by the hapless Madden, for the home side to reduce the deficit.
It was a short lived consolation when McStay powered a shot goalward that Hoesfloot parried into the path of Trew who was quickest to react in the moment and thumped the ball high into the net to restore the three goal lead once more.
It was extended further near the end when McStay finally found the net late on, another super strike, to round out a 5-star performance from the visiting Wolves side leaving Coach, David Carney to comment.
“Overall I think we deserved to win by that many,” he said.
“We took our chances which is good but we’ve been on good form lately and we played a tricky team that’s fighting relegation. There’s a few players away for them, the young Olyroos and first teamers to come back and I’m sure that will make a difference when they return.
“You can only beat what’s in front of you and I thought our energy levels were excellent, we weathered the early expected rush from Sydney and then moved up through the gears.
“We were committed and deserved to win the game and at the break I said if we up our tempo more goals will come . We were first to the second ball and overall I thought we were excellent tonight.”
While Sydney FC coach Jimmy van Veeren summed up his young team’s performance.
“Not putting our chances away has been the story of our season,” he stated.
“In the first-half we could have had two or three ourselves but couldn’t convert them and in other areas we are just giving away goals at the moment and it’s killing us.
“We made the changes off the bench as we needed to roll the dice and see if we could change the direction of the game. Also, for us, it was to give the young Subs the opportunity because at 3-nil down they deserved their chance to try and change things for us.
“Tonight’s result is starting to take things out of our own hands and we’re in the position of basically having to play a Grand Final every game now until the end of the season but we’re up for the fight,” he concluded.
Match Stats
Sydney FC 1 (Darcy Madden 81og’)
Wollongong Wolves 5 (Taki Ofuka 22’, Yagoub Mustafa 33’, Lachlan Scott 51’, Jake Trew 87’, Chris McStay 89’)
Ilinden Sports Centre, Rockdale
Friday, 26th July 2024
Referee: Ivica Covic
Assistants: Emma Kocbek and Anastasia Filacouridis
Fourth Official: Thomas Dale
Sydney FC: 20. Gus Hoefsloot, 4. Joseph Calusic, 6. Dylan Rose (2. Noah Mathie 67’), 7. Jacob Brazete, 17. Ayouk Mow (8. Namory Conde 61’), 19. Mitchell Glasson, 22. Will Kennedy, 24. Wataru Kamijo, 32. Samuel Lancaster (28. Nickolas Alfaro 61’), 33. Mathias Macallister (9. Bailey Callaghan 67’), 34. Blake Bolwell (14. Jared Middleton 61’)
Subs not used: 30. Daniel Solsky
Yellow Cards: Nickolas Alfaro 67’
Red Cards: Nil
Wollongong Wolves: 1. Vedran Janjetovic, 2. Harrison Buesnel, 3. Darcy Madden, 5. Banri Kanazumi, 6. Sami Riak, 7. Taki Ofuka, 8. Andre Takami (27. Damon Gray 89’), 10. Yagoub Mustafa, 11. Sebastian Hernandez (25. Alex Masciovecchio 82’), 24. Lachie Scott (9. Jake Trew 71’), 88. Chris McStay
Subs not used: 13. Oliver Yates, 15. Dax Kelly, 27. Damon Gray, 29. Ben Giason
Yellow Cards: Chris McStay 63’, Darcy Madden 78’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings
3 – Taki Ofuka (WW)
2 – Chris McStay (WW)
1 – Yagoub Mustafa (WW)
By NPL NSW Men’s Reporter Micky Brock
