The Newcastle Jets have been defeated 1-2 by Sydney FC at EnergyAustralia Stadium tonight. The loss is a blow to the defending Hyundai A-League Champions’ finals hopes for this season, leaving the Jets in 8th position on 12 points.
The Newcastle Jets have been defeated 1-2 by Sydney FC at EnergyAustralia Stadium tonight. The loss is a blow to the defending Hyundai A-League Champions- finals hopes for this season, leaving the Jets in 8th position on 12 points.
Despite taking the lead through a superb Jobe Wheelhouse strike in the 11th minute, goals from Iain Fyfe and substitute Brendan Gan in the 15th and 78th minutes respectively were enough to see Sydney home.
Newcastle made much of the early running, and took a deserved lead when Wheelhouse struck. A perfectly weighted ball from striker Marko Jesic found the number 12 on the edge of the box, with his accurate first time shot flying past the outstretched Clint Bolton and into the corner of the net.
Just five minutes later, however, scores were level.
A Shannon Cole free kick was flicked on by Beau Busch to the far post, finding John Aloisi who headed back across the face of goal. Diving in at the far post was Fyfe, whose powerful header proved unstoppable from close range.
Despite Sydney-s equaliser the Jets remained fluent through midfield, creating a number of first half chances in which to regain the lead.
On 18 minutes Matt Thompson was set up nicely by Ben Kantarovski, with Bolton handling the shot well.
Later, James Holland sent a spectacular effort over the bar after a cross from Wheelhouse who had marauded his way down the right flank following a neat piece of team interplay.
After half time the Jets were forced into a substitution with Dane Jesper Hakansson replacing teenage striker Jason Naidovski, who succumbed to a hamstring injury. Shaun Ontong also came on Adam D-Apuzzo with Antun Kovacic replacing goal scorer Wheelhouse.
Unfortunately, the best efforts of the Jets players and the Newcastle faithful who willed them on went unrewarded as Gan-s curling strike after a clever through ball from Steve Corica on the edge of the box sent Sydney to the lead.
The Jets launched a number of late raids in search of an equaliser of their own, however were beaten by the clock in their mission to restore parity.
Jets Head Coach Gary van Egmond again rued his side-s missed opportunities after the game, but was already looking to next Sunday-s away game against Queensland Roar to help lift Newcastle from the bottom of the Hyundai A-League ladder.
“There-s a lot of positives in regards to the performance, it-s just the result that obviously we didn-t get and that comes from the fact that you-ve got that many young ones out there at one time, and we don-t have an array of proven goalscorers who can take their chances when they appear, that-s been a real burden of our season.”
“I think our first priority is to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and get ready for Queensland. We-ve got to take each game on its merits and we-ve got an excellent record up there at Suncorp and hopefully we can welcome back three players back into the fold,” van Egmond said.
The Jets- will look to bring in influential players Joel Griffiths, Mark Milligan and Jin-Hyung Song for the Round 15 clash against the Roar next Sunday.
Match Details:
Newcastle Jets: 1. Ante COVIC, 2. Adam GRIFFITHS, 3. Jade NORTH (c), 5. James HOLLAND, 8. Matt THOMPSON, 11. Tarek ELRICH, 12. Jobe WHEELHOUSE (17. Antun KOVACIC 84-), 13. Adam D”APUZZO (14. Shaun ONTONG 73-), 16. Ben KANTAROVSKI, 19. Jason NAIDOVSKI (6. Jesper HAKANSSON 54-), 24. Marko JESIC
Unused substitutes: 30. Justin PASFIELD (gk)
Yellow cards: Nil
Red cards: Nil
Sydney FC: 1. Clint BOLTON, 2. Iain FYFE, 7. Robbie MIDDLEBY, 8. Stuart MUSIALIK, 10. Steve CORICA, 12. Shannon COLE, 14. Alex BROSQUE, 19. Mark BRIDGE (16. Chris PAYNE 88-), 23. John ALOISI, 29. Beau BUSCH, 28. Bobby PETTA (32. Brendan GAN 73-)
Unused substitutes: 20. Ivan NECEVSKI (gk), 31. Anthony GOLEC
Yellow cards: Robbie Middleby 13-
Red cards: Nil
Newcastle Jets: 1 (Wheelhouse 11-)
Sydney FC: 2 (Fyfe 15-, Gan 78-)
Crowd: 7,872
Referee: Strebre Delovski
