Round 3 Review (Hyundai A-League)
A tantalising third round of football. Every game had an attacking flavour. Every coach endeavoured to play attacking football. Even the Phoenix who failed to score played an attacking style of play. The tempo was high and the football would be acceptable in any league in the world. The icing on the cake was the Sydney derby with the football being played end to end.
Reds v Victory Review
Victory controlled the game early to no fruition. Leroy George put in an exquisite cross, that was finished off by goal poacher Besart Berisha. Once again the Reds started slowly, for the third week in a row. Absalonsen played a clever ball to Lia, who finished spectacularly from outside the eighteen yard box in the twenty third minute. The game was in the balance following the equalizer by the Reds. Absalonsen played another timely ball to Lia, who repeated the dose, getting a rare brace. Austin was pivotal with a sublime strike in the eighty second minute. Two-all wasn’t a fair result in my opinion, with the Reds deserved of the three points.
City v Phoenix Review
The Phoenix controlled possession early, with no final ball. Mcglinchey and Ridenton controlled the tempo of the game in the middle of the park. Smith pulled off a good save, with the shot from Fitzgerald. For City Mauk was looking dangerous. Abbas had a fantastic shot saved expertly by Galekovic. Muscat had a pinpoint cross, only for Mccormack to miss an audacious attempt at goal. Smith took a cross from Muscat. He had clearly improved his work curtailing aerial raids by the opposition. In the second half there weren’t many chances until Mccormack blasted a free kick into the back of the net in the sixty sixth minute. Smith could do nothing to stop the bullet shot. City remained compact until Krishna hit the post. The Phoenix could count themselves unlucky not to have claimed at least a point from the contest. The game finished at one-nil to City.
Sky Blues v Wanderers Review
Risdon made an instant impact with a sublime cross finished off by Riera. It was not only the game of the round due to it being the derby, but the end to end action. Hamill put the Wanderers two-nil up after thirty minutes of high tempo football. In the thirty eighth minute Carney won a penalty that was clinically finished by Bobo from the spot. In the second half Carney set up another attacking foray forward with Zullo forcing Janjetovic to make a good save. In the sixty first minute Brilliante had a super strike. Brilliante had another opportunity that he chipped just over the bar. Baccus then had a strike outside the eighteen yard box go over the bar. A draw was probably a fair result, with the Wanderers left to regret giving up a two-nil lead only for the Sky Blues to peg it back to two-all.
Roar v Jets Review
Vujica set up the first goal of the game with O’Donovan finishing off the good lead up work in the twelth minute. Maccarone missed a golden opportunity. Vargas forced Theo into a good save. Hingert crossed the ball into the area with Boogaard putting the ball into his own net in the forty second minute. Petratos finished with a spectacular goal in the forty forth minute. The Jets went to the break leading two-one. Vargas played an exquisite ball to Nabbout only for Nabbout to butcher the chance. Skapetis had a good shot saved by Duncan. The game finished at two-one to the Jets.
Glory v Mariners Review
Pain provided an assist for Brama to give the Mariners the lead after the fourteenth minute. The game was end to end with both teams playing at a high tempo. Taggart missed two golden chances is the first half. Glory controlled the balance of play in the first half. Taggart passed the ball to Keogh who slotted away the equalizer in the seventieth minute. Taggart missed a fourth chance! Taggart eventually made the most of his chances when he hit the back of the net in the eighty fifth minute.