Sydney FC ease past Phoenix for 14th win
Feb 9, 2017 - 11:55 AM Another week, another A-League win for table-topping Sydney FC, who have made light work of Wellington to extend their unbeaten record to 19 games.Only eight matches now stand between the Sky Blues and their unprecedented Invincibles target, after Thursday night's emphatic 3-1 win lifted them 12 points clear at the top.
The Allianz Stadium pitch was in poor shape after last weekend's Sydney Sevens rugby event but Rhyan Grant, Bobo and Milos Ninkovic all chipped in to take their team's tally to a league-high 41 goals.
The Phoenix, still stranded in eighth, played audaciously high against a side feared for their ruthless counter-attack.
But if they fancied themselves as the Sky Blues' first conquerors they were dealt a harsh reality check less than three minutes after the opening whistle.
Ninkovic was instrumental, sending captain Alex Brosque blazing down to the byline where he crossed for Grant to divert a header past a diving Glen Moss.
Twenty minutes later Grant turned provider in a superb piece of play started by Jordy Buijs.
Filip Holosko, Brosque and Bobo combined to split Wellington's defence with quick passes before the right-back unleashed for Bobo to score.
The shell-shocked visitors were fortunate not to cop a third goal before they'd even regathered themselves, saved only by Brosque's skew wide.
That sparked the Phoenix into life and the untested Danny Vukovic was suddenly leaping high to tip over a Roy Krishna header.
The save was class but moments later Sydney's goalkeeper was beaten at his near post when Alex Rodriguez converted a corner.
Wellington had clawed back into the game but their chances were less clear-cut - Kosta Barbarouses came closest before Holosko's toe poke was saved and Josh Brillante rammed an absolute bullet into the post from 25 metres.
Brillante orchestrated Sydney's third goal, pouncing on a poor clearance and setting up Ninkovic, who wrong-footed Andrew Durante and scored in the far corner.
Sydney coach Graham Arnold felt the scoreline could have blown out much further.
"The first half was outstanding, on another night we could have had five or six," Arnold said.
"The second goal was like a training drill that we practise and the execution was perfect."
Phoenix co-coach Des Buckingham put the loss down to a few factors.
'We were away from home against the league leaders, we lost (defender) Marco Rossi yesterday to a slight tear and we've got a very young and experienced backline, two of which were playing NPL last year."
Source: AAP
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