Marconi overwhelm Sydney United for Grand Final Spot
Played on a sub-standard surface, Lee Sterrey?s Stallions out-played Sydney United in-front of their own home supporters with a commanding performance from start to finish.
A strong showing by Alexander Canak and Erick Anabalon ? assisted by a strong all-round midfield performance ? led the side towards the win.
Nahuel Arrarte played a first-time ball over the Reds backline into the path of Canak in the opening exchanges, though the striker?s first-time effort from the edge of the penalty-area failed to hit the target.
The Stallions early pressure prevailed on 5? minutes when Erick Anabalon?s floated cross from the right was volleyed first-time by Canak into the bottom left-hand corner.
The goal failed to spur the Reds into action as it was Sydney United goalkeeper Vedran Janjetovic again in the action. The shot-stopper pulled off an exceptional one-handed save over the crossbar from a dipping Anabalon drive. Ali Al-Hilfi?s exquisite lobbed effort provided the striker with a fine look-in on goal, though Janjetovic was up to the challenge.
The Reds struggled to get time on the ball in the middle of the park as a brief Sydney United forward foray was cut short for a Stallions counter-attack. The Bossley Park side doubled their lead as Anablaon?s volleyed effort took a wicked deflection off a Reds defender and finished underneath a helpless Janjetovic?s crossbar.
The goal sparked the Reds into action as Luka Glavas got his side deep into the Stallions defensive third for the first time in the match. Glavas beat his marker to reach the byline and play a square ball into the path of Ante Milicic who converted from close-range.
The Stallions almost reinstated their two goal lead when Anabalon?s headed effort across the face of goal hit the head of Sydney United?s Petar Markovic; the Reds? midfielder – in a moment of confusion inside the Reds penalty-area – headed against his own upright with the ball finishing wide, much to the despair of the home supporters.
Marconi did get their third of the afternoon in almost comical fashion as Nahuel Arrarte diverted a cross from the left-flank, at the back post, into the path of Wade Oostendorp to convert from close-range. Arrarte?s first time square ball seemingly took a touch off a Reds defender, though a rather lethargic maneuver by the defenders and goalkeeper Janjetovic allowed Oostendorp the time to slot home.
Sydney United nearly pulled a second goal back moments prior to the break as captain Joe Vrkic smacked a header against the crossbar off a Thompson corner from the left, before Marconi?s Canak nearly added a fourth at the other end before a last-ditch Damon Collina challenge saved the Reds blushes.
After the break, Marconi?s early second-half pressure had the Reds on the back-foot, though some desperate defending by Vrkic and Collina kept the goal deficit at two.
On 55? minutes, Al-Hilfi?s square-ball into the path of Ousmane Toure failed to pay dividends for the Stallions as the speedy midfielder ?sky-rocketed? his effort over the crossbar.
Arrarte should have killed off the Reds on the hour when his powerful header ricocheted onto the crossbar with Janjetovic beaten, though the Stallions did not have to wait much longer as Oostendorp was again on the mark to head home his side?s fourth of the afternoon. The defender?s header took a slight deflection off a Reds defender to beat Janjetovic.
Davor Bajsic kept supporters? hopes alive when he won the Reds a penalty. The former Croatian Under-21 International beat his marker before Vamara Diarra fouled the midfielder; Glavas converted the spot-kick with aplomb, beating James Chronopoulos to his right.
Stallions substitute Ben Vidaic squandered a golden one-on-one opportunity 10? minutes from the end before tragedy struck for the Stallions on 85? minutes as Vidaic was sent back to the dressing rooms after picking up a straight red card for an apparent elbow. The Stallions striker will be out of the Grand-Final clash against Sutherland Sharks.
With the contest well and truly over, Ricky Perenich tried his luck from distance, though his powerful drive was easy pickings for James Chronopoulos.
Following the match, Stallions boss Lee Sterrey was ecstatic with the victory, though is well aware that only half the job is complete:
?We played a great match tonight on a difficult surface and away from home ? I am really pleased with the way the boys approached the match,? Sterrey commented.
?Will take the win and look to continue to improve, because the job is still not done, so we will be working hard this week in anticipation of next Sunday.
?Up-front I thought we were great. (Alexander) Canak and (Erick) Anabalon were in great touch, as was our midfield in feeding the front pairing. The job is half done though, so as is always the case, we will always take the something from this match to learn from, and we?ll be working hard this week,? concluded Sterrey.
Sydney United team manager David Rezo was disappointed that the Reds season was over:
?Unfortunately, we weren?t in it today. I believe we lost out last weekend (against Sutherland Sharks), that is where our season really ended.
?In saying that, it has been a good season, and let?s not forget, we won the Premiership. Without Finals football, we were the most consistent team throughout 2009,? Rezo ended.
Match Stats
Sydney United 2 (Ante Milicic 24?, Luka Glavas (pen) 75?)
Marconi Stallions 4 (Alexander Canak 5?, Erick Anabalon 23?, Wade Oostendorp 33?, 66?)
Sunday, 6th of September, 2009
Sydney United Sports Centre, Edensor Park
Referee: Gerard Parsons
Assistant Referees: Daniel Dewhurst and Steven Nguyen
Fourth Official: Peter Vrtkovski
Crowd: 1,100 Approx.
Sydney United: 1.Vedran Janjetovic; 19.Mitchell Thompson, 6.Joe Vrkic (C), 5.Damon Collina, 7.Todd Brodie, 14.Petar Markovic (16.Elsid Barkhousir 46?), 45.Sam Munro, 15.Lisandro Berbis (12.Davor Bajsic 46?), 9.David Zdrilic (2.Ricky Perenich 70?), 10.Ante Milicic, 11.Luka Glavas
Substitutes Not Used: 3.Rodger Galayini, 20.Michael Frost
Yellow Cards: Mitchell Thompson 10?, Damon Collina 66?, Joe Vrkic 81?, Sam Munro 83?
Red Cards: Nil
Marconi Stallions: 22.James Chronopoulos; 2.Wade Oostendorp, 4.Umut Tokdogan, 6.Vuko Tomasevic, 7.Ousmane Toure (13.Ben Vidaic 73?), 8.Alex Canak, 9.Erick Anabalon (5.Adel El Jamal 70?), 10.Ali Abbas Al-Hilfi (14.Daniel Ott 88?), 15.Tim McGowan, 17. Vamara Diarra, 26. Nahuel Arrarte (C)
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Cem Akili, 18.Graziano Trimboli
Yellow Cards: Alex Canak 66?
Red Cards: Ben Vidaic 85?
Player Ratings:
3 ? Alexander Canak (MS)
2 ? Erick Anabalon (MS)
1 ? Luka Glavas (SU)
-By Joseph Carlucci
