Melbourne Heart 1 Sydney FC 1
Roy Hay
It was heartbreak of the Heart at AAMI Park on Saturday night when the home team thought they had the match won with an 85th minute goal from substitute Maycon, only for Nicky Carle to purloin a goal for Sydney in the fourth minute of extra time to secure a draw.
It still means that Sydney has not yet beaten Heart in the A-League, but that was no consolation for the team or for coach John van’t Schip.
On the suggestion that Heart had matched two of the best teams in the league in successive games, he said, ‘We know that, but at the end we need results. That is the result. After four games we have tow points. You can’t keep talking about matching. It’s also about finishing. And on the right moment you have tobe professional to avoid what happened in the last minute.’
Heart supporters with banner prior to the game.
Melbourne Heart began their match against Sydney with the same eleven who started in the excellent away draw in the local derby last week. Sydney was also on familiar lines with Mark Bridge, back from suspension, and Nicky Carle in advanced positions.
Midfield action between Heart and Sydney
Referee Chris Beath was in action inside the first minute, booking Terry Antonis of Sydney for diving and seven minutes later Matt Thompson joined him for a tackle on Jamie Coyne. In all eight players were booked in what was never a nasty game.
Wayne Shroj found Alex Terra who lobbed the ball over the defence for Thompson to test Liam Reddy with a looping header.
From the resultant corner Reddy dropped the ball and Borchardt cleared from the Heart attackers.
Sydney’s passing game was much more fluid than that of the home team, though the latter did have flashes of fast one-touch play but the final ball was lacking.
Wayne Shroj was booked for a collision with Sydney skipper, Terry McFlynn. It looked as if Shroj’s knee came in contact with the Sydneysider’s thigh, which he injured last week against Adelaide. So the effect was that McFlynn had to be substituted in 37 minutes with Rhyan Grant replacing him.
Four minutes before the break Heart took off David Williams and sent on Jason Hoffmann to add height and presence to the attack.
Half time came with Sydney on top but no goals.
Heart looked sharper and more fluid in the second half.
Dugandzic was a constant threat with pacy runs and dribbles and had to be stopped illegally by Jamie Coyne, which resulted in another booking.
Terry Antonis at 17 had an equally impressive game in midfield for Sydney despite his early indiscretion.
In the 77th minute van’t Schip replaced Wayner Shroj with another attacker, the enigmatic Brazilian Maycon, who is still finding his feet in the A-League.
Heart took the lead after 85 minutes. Mate Dugandzic found subtitute Maycon in the box and big Brazilian held off two defenders and scuffed the ball past Liam Reddy. Predictably he was booked for his celebration, one of eight cards thrown around by Chris Beath.
It looked as if Heart would hold on for its first win of the season but Sydney won a corner on the right when the referee adjudged that Karol Kisel’s shot had been deflected.
The corner was not cleared by the Heart defence, and the ball ricocheted around the area before squirting clear to Pascal Borchaart on the left. He swung it back into the goal area and Nicky Carle deflected the ball into the net in the last minute of added time.
Carle played down his individual contribution which was considerable as he linked with Michael Bridge in attack, but also tracked back when necessary.
Viteszlav Lavicka was also at pains to stress that Sydney’s improvement over last season was not down to individual players but to the coherence of the team and their commitment, though he also mentioned that the quality added to the side this year with the return of Kisel and the arrival of Emerton had been significant.
The bedraggled Cove supported Sydney in the rain.
Match details
Melbourne Heart 1 (Maycon 85′). Sydney FC 1 (Nicky Carle 90+4′)
Saturday 29 October 2011
Venue: AAMI Park
Local Kick Off: 7:45pm
Attendance: 5,666
Referee: Chris Beath
Assistant Referees: Hakan Anaz and Shaun Evans
Fourth Official: Alex Azcurra
Melbourne Heart:
1. Clint Bolton, 2. Michael Marrone, 4. Simon Colosimo, 6. Matt Thompson, 10. Wayne Srhoj (9. Maycon 77’), 11. Alex Terra (3. Brendan Hamill 88’), 13. Jonatan Germano, 15. David Williams (17. Jason Hoffman 41’), 16. Aziz Behich, 18. Curtis Good, 23. Mate Dugandzic.
Unused substitutes: 30. Sebastian Mattei (gk)
Yellow cards: Matt Thompson 8’, Wayne Shroj 37’, Simon Colosimo 60’, Maycon 86’, Aziz Behich 90+2’.
Red cards: Nil
Sydney FC
1. Liam Reddy, 3. Jamie Coyne, 4. Pascal Bosschaart, 5. Michael Beauchamp, 7. Brett Emerton, 8. Karol Kisel, 10. Nick Carle, 15. Terry McFlynn (23. Rhyan Grant 40’), 17. Terry Antonis, 19. Mark Bridge (9. Bruno Cazarine 69’), 21. Scott Jamieson,
Unused substitutes: 2. Sebastian Ryall, 20. Ivan Necevski
Yellow cards: Terry Antonis 1’, Jamie Coyne 59’, Nick Carle 63’.
Red cards: Nil