Blacktown City dig deep to earn vital point against United 58
Blacktown City and Sydney United 58 played out an intense and physical 0-0 draw on Sunday afternoon at Landen Stadium on Sunday.
Both sides pressed for the elusive goal but ultimately had to settle for a point.
The result moves Blacktown out of the relegation zone and edges Sydney United 58 closer to the top two.
Massive league implications surrounded this Round 22 fixture. Sydney United 58, fresh off claiming their second consecutive Waratah Cup on Wednesday night, were hoping to close the gap between themselves and the side they beat in the cup final, APIA Leichhardt, after they suffered defeat last night.
On the other side of the pitch, a new-look Blacktown City were hoping that their new mid-week signings, including former A-League striker Alou Kuol, could make an immediate impact and help the side climb above St George FC in their ongoing fight to avoid relegation.
With both sides knowing the importance of three points, attacking opportunities were limited during the opening stages. Michael Krslovic came the closest on a couple of occasions for the visitors; however, he never forced Cooper Rogers into any major action.
City’s best chance of the half arrived in the 21st minute after Maksim Jez connected beautifully with the ball on the edge of the 18-yard box. The volley forced an even better save from Sydney United shot-stopper Adam Pavlesic, who pushed the effort over the bar with a one-handed stop.
The first 45 minutes failed to deliver the opening goal but showcased a strong and physical contest that continued into the second half.
Both sides pushed after the break. Sydney United 58 controlled momentum and possession in the opening stages, though City finished the stronger of the two teams and looked lively in the final 10 minutes.
The best chance of the half fell to Blacktown, with substitute Mitch Mallia catching United captain Adrian Vlastelica with the ball stuck under his feet. The winger drove into the 18-yard box before cutting it back to captain Travis Major. Major’s shot took multiple deflections on its way through, though Pavlesic reacted well to produce a strong save down to his left.
The game ultimately reached its conclusion with no goals recorded and the points shared.
Blacktown City head coach Mark Crittenden said the result was a fair reflection of the game and his side’s performance.
“They (Sydney United 58) are obviously doing well in the league, they’re a good football team. We had a few new faces in the lineup today, so we’ll take the point. I thought there were some real positives today and we’ll regroup and go forward.”
The point was enough for Blacktown to climb above St George FC and move outside the promotion/relegation playoff position for the first time since Round 14. However, Crittenden said he is not focused on other results, instead wanting his side to control their own destiny in the final seven games of the campaign.
“At the end of the day, we can’t rely on other teams. It is about us. We hold our own destiny in our hands, and if we win enough games, we’ll be fine,” Crittenden said.
Match Stats
Blacktown City 0
Sydney United 58 0
Sunday 5th July, 2026
Landen Stadium
Referee: Noah Moss
Assistant Referees: Aaron Bloch and Shakeel Mistry
Fourth Official: Felix Atkin Bolton
Blacktown City: 3. Lachlan Tilt (19. Sebastian Hayward 68’), 5. James Nikolovski, 7. Travis Major, 10. Maksim Jez (6. Adam Berry 74’), 11. Kodai Tanaka, 15. Caleb Jackson-Brown, 17. Sasha Kuzevski (14. Mitchell Mallia 60’), 20. Cooper Rogers, 22. Jacob Maniti, 27. Nathan Grimaldi, 45. Alou Kuol
Substitutes Not Used: 1. Cayden Henderson, 16. Riley Nolan, 21. Aiden Renshaw, 24. Lachlan Henderson
Yellow Cards: Travis Major 19’, James Nikolovski 27’, Alou Kuol 87’
Red Cards: Nil
Sydney United 58: 1. Adam Pavlesic, 4. Adrian Vlastelica, 6. Dylan Rose, 8. Tomoki Wada (2. Julian Cop 60’), 10. Carlos De Oliveira, 16. Anthony Krilic, 17. Michael Glassock, 19. Michael Krslovic (9. Kyle Cimenti 68’), 21. Koya Nakano, 23. Mason Wells (44. Faroh Koko 68’), 35. Tomislav Ozanic (7. Leroy Jennings 60’)
Substitutes Not Used: 3. Bailey Rule, 14. Liam McGing, 41. Adrian-Jamie Bazina,
Yellow Cards: Adrian Vlastelica 75’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3 – Nathan Grimaldi (BCT)
2 – Adam Pavlesic (SU58)
1 – James Nikolovski (BCT)
-By Keane McKenna
