Newcastle Jets suffered a 1-0 defeat away to Sydney FC in round 9 of the Hyundai A-League 2015/16 season on Friday.
While the Jets were second best during the first 45 at Allianz Stadium – the Sky Blues butchering or Mark Birighitti impressively saving four chances from marquee attacker Filip Holosko – Newcastle produced a far more positive display in the second stanza against their star-stocked hosts.
Indeed, the refreshed Jets could have taken the lead just three minutes after the break when Enver Alivodic fired over Vedran Janjetovic’s crossbar following Milos Trifunović’s cutback, while soon after Lee Ki-je sent a crisp effort on the angle wide of the target.
Newcastle were made to pay for the misses sooner after as Sydney latched on to a loose pass out of defence and found Brosque. The experienced Hyundai A-League attacker drove into the box before sending a sweet left foot shot across Birighitti and into the back of the net. The goal was Brosque’s 50th in his Hyundai A-League career.
Down a goal Scott Miller opted to make a tactical substitution with just under 20 minutes to play, central defender Lachlan Jackson making way for young attacker Braedyn Crowley. The move resulted in the Jets changing shape and playing with three at the back, as the front third was stacked with attack-minded players.
The tactical shift resulted in more pressure from the Jets as Miller’s men went in search of a leveller.
Seven minutes from the end of regulation time Ryan Kitto and David Carney combined before the ball fell the Crowley. With the ball bouncing the Townsville-born attacker scuffed his attempt at goal, much to Sydney’s relief.
Crowley put a header on target from a Carney cross that Janjetovic saved in the 88th minute, while in the first minute of time added on Jets substitute Nicholas Cowburn nodded a set-piece just over the crossbar following Carney’s ball in.
The Jets can take heart from their second half reaction against the Sky Blues, Miller’s side pushing Arnold’s outfit all the way at the Allianz.
Newcastle Jets will face another of the Hyundai A-League’s big-spenders next week. On Sunday 13 December Melbourne City will arrive at Hunter Stadium for the club’s first true Hyundai A-League and Westfield W-League double-header of the season. The women’s game kicks off at 2:00pm followed by the men at 5:00pm.
Sydney FC 1 (Brosque 57’)
Newcastle Jets 0
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Shaun Evans
Attendance: 9,155
Newcastle Jets: 1. Mark Birighitti (Gk), 3. Jason Hoffman, 5. Ben Kantarovski, 6. Cameron Watson (24. Nicholas Cowburn 65’), 7. Enver Alivodic, 8. Mateo Poljak (C), 9. Milos Trifunovic, 13. Lee Ki-je, 22. Lachlan Jackson (27. Braedyn Crowley 72’), 23. David Carney, 28. Ryan Kitto (17. Radovan Pavicevic 82’)
Substitutes not used: 14. Mitch Cooper, 20. Ben Kennedy (Gk)
Coach: Scott Miller
Yellow cards: Hoffman
Red cards: Nil
Sydney FC: 1. Vedran Janjetovic (Gk), 2. Sebastian Ryall, 3. Alexander Gersbach, 5. Matthew Jurman, 7. Andrew Hoole (24. George Blackwood 72’), 8. Milos Dimitrijevic, 10. Milos Ninkovic (19. Jaques Faty 86’), 14. Alex Brosque (C) (9. Shane Smeltz 86’), 21. Filip Holosko, 27. Mickael Tavares
Substitutes not used: 18. Matthew Simon, 20. Ivan Necevski (Gk)
Coach: Graham Arnold
Yellow cards: Nil
Red cards: Nil
