Sydney v Jets

A-League report by Chris Dunkerley
Sydney FC v Newcastle United Jets


A sole goal by Alex Brosque from a sublime Juninho pass was enough to break the Jets undefeated record and propel Sydney to fourth overnight.

Newcastle Jets coach Gary Van Egmond was forced to make 5 changes from the team that had played Melbourne the week before, including bringing Mario Jerdel and Stephen Laybutt into the starting lineup. Branko Culina had the relative luxury of another Brasilian, Juninho, starting.

Sydney FC started well, with Alex Brosque particularly getting or making space. In the 4th minute he got forward down the middle but curled his shot wide and didn't trouble Ante Covic in the Newcastle goal.

The Jets main avenue was down the left where Matt Thomspson hugging the line was getting behind the Sydney FC, and he got the ball via a nice dummy by Mark Bridge in the 19th minute but his cross is forced for a corner.

In the 26th minute their was a sequence of 7 passes by Sydney ending with Ruben Zadkovich, who was making well timed runs forward, bending the ball the wrong way and the shot went wide of goal.

Brosque was coming in for some heavy treatment particularly by Laybutt whose lack of pace was evident, however in the 30th minute he was brought down at the edge of the area after twisting and turning - a hint of foul about it but not given.

Five minutes later Adam Griffiths knocked the ball to Jardel at the edge of the area but his shot after turning was high and wide.

The magic moment of the game came in the 36th minute when Juninho, from inside the centre circle sent a ball through to a surging Alax Brosque. The ball cut out Brosque's marker, Laybutt, and as the striker turned Jade North who had moved to cover, he slid the ball wide to the right of Covic and it nestled inside the left upright. 1-0

Jardel came off after the break as Newcastle shuffled their formation. In the 53rd minute Adam D'Apuzzo sent a free kick from the right to Adam Griffiths head, and the tall midfielder sent it over the crossbar.

In the 61st minute Zadkovich volleyed from 25m but it went wide.

Three minutes later Brosque, finding himself on the right sideline sent over a cross to Brendon Santalab whose header was wid eof target.

A great chance for Juninho with only the keeper to beat was sent across goal and out.

In the 88th minute D'Apuzzo took another free kick on the right and this time he dropped it onto substitute Denni, who fell backward and propelled it goalward, but alas straight to Clint Bolton in the Sydney goal.

The game had started as a reasonable spectacle, solace for the moderate Sydney crowd and justification for the gold shirted mob who had ventured south. In the second half however the fires went out a little, Newcastle especially looking unlikely to really trouble Bolton. In fact both goalkeepers had a quiet day at the office with few shots on target. Still it was an improvement for this neutral observer over the turgid fare of previous weeks - I stayed awake for this one.

A late Terry McFlynn speculator in stoppage time and it was all over.