Sydney FC triumphed over Western Sydney Wanderers with a scoreline of 2-0 in the 44th installment of the Sydney Derby, with Al Hassan Touré and Apostolos Stamatelopoulos finding the net.
Touré netted his first goal since December, while Stamatelopoulos added the second, marking Patrick Kisnorbo’s inaugural victory as head coach of Sydney FC.
This victory, the 22nd in the history of Sydney Derbies, propels Sydney FC into third position on the Isuzu UTE A-League standings, crucially moving them ahead of Adelaide United thanks to that all-important second goal. Meanwhile, Western Sydney remains three points adrift at the bottom of the table.
The Sky Blues had an early opportunity when Ben Garuccio skillfully controlled a long ball, surged into the penalty area, and slid it across the goal, but Stamatelopoulos just missed converting it from close range. Shortly thereafter, Ahmet Arslan capitalised on a misplayed pass from Anthony Pantazopoulos, but his curling effort was well saved by Lawrence Thomas.
A needless free kick was given away by Wataru Kamijo for a bundle into Angus Thurgate after 12 minutes. Pantazopoulos’s effort from the set-piece dipped dangerously, forcing Harrison Devenish-Meares into an awkward save.
Once again, Garuccio was involved when he received a long diagonal pass. After a battle for possession, Piero Quispe found Touré, but the striker’s first-time shot disappointingly sailed wide of the post.
However, it wasn’t long before Touré ended his four-month goal drought; Kamijo’s precise pass found him in the area, where he took a touch before driving the ball home at the near post.
The Sky Blues navigated through the Western Sydney defence with relative ease, yet when Stamatelopoulos rounded Thomas, Josh Brillante was on hand to chest the ball off the line just as the flag went up.
With the first half drawing to a close, five yellow cards were issued in the last ten minutes, including a significant shot from Brandon Borrello in the 43rd minute, whose effort from outside the area crashed against the crossbar.
Western Sydney thought they had equalised just before the hour mark when Steven Ugarković delivered a cross that was expertly headed by Borrello, forcing a remarkable diving save from Devenish-Meares. When the ball bounced back off the bar, Bozhidar Kraev managed to head it in, but VAR ruled the goal out after it was determined the ball struck Kraev’s hand in the process.
The introduction of Ryan Fraser posed an immediate threat, as his first shot was deflected for a corner, which led to a fine glancing header from Pantazopoulos that looped across the goal and hit the crossbar.
Western Sydney displayed resilience as a strong shot from Tiago Quintal was parried by Thomas, only for 16-year-old Akol Akon to see his follow-up attempts thwarted by Alex Gersbach and the recovering keeper.
Quintal was involved once again when he regained possession in a dangerous position and delicately slipped the ball between two Wanderers defenders to find Stamatelopoulos, who calmly lifted his finish over Thomas and into the net, securing the derby victory for the Sky Blues.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Al Hassan Touré opens the scoring, marking his first goal since December for Sydney FC.
Stamatelopoulos clinches the derby for Sydney FC, ensuring bragging rights for the Sky Blues.
WHAT THEY SAID
Ben Garuccio
Lawrence Thomas
Paul Okon-Engstler
Compiled by SportArena.au
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