Nine man Blacktown City make Sydney United pay the penalty
Played at a blistering first-half pace, where Blacktown City held a deserved 1-0 lead courtesy of Joel Chianese, the home-side were reduced to ten-men following Matt Pressello?s straight red card early in the second-half.
The numerical advantage allowed the Reds to draw level courtesy of Luka Glavas shortly after, with the scores level after 90? minutes. Despite going down to nine men at the start of extra-time, Blacktown City FC managed to hold out for the draw and secure a famous victory via the dreaded penalty shootout ? veteran Mirko Jurlj exquisitely converting the match winner with the cheekiest of penalties.
Blacktown City came out of the blocks running as Travis Major got down the right-flank to centre into the penalty-area. Mitchell Long?s first-time effort from the edge of the penalty-area was thwarted by some scrambling Sydney United defence.
The home-side?s early pressure was telling as Long picked up a loose ball inside the penalty-area before slotting past Ryan Norval, though the linesman?s flag was quickly raised for offside.
Sydney United?s response arrived in the 10? minute as Peter Zorbas got forward and released Michael Cindric inside the penalty-area, the Reds defender had his shot well saved by Brodie Crane.
Blacktown City opened the scoring in the 13? minute with a piece of individual brilliance as the youngster cleverly turned inside the penalty area to carve out the opening. Chianese?s first effort was parried by Norval though the follow up, albeit from a tight angle, was nicely slotted home much to the delight of the home supporters.
On 21? minutes, Tolgay Ozbey squandered a golden chance when he was sent through on goal. Ozbey, with the goalkeeper beckoning, failed to drive his effort past the Reds shot-stopper ? Norval claiming the ball at the second attempt.
Despite the Reds best attempts to get forwarded, Blacktown City continued to dominate with Luke Roodenburg?s exceptional work ethic in the middle of the park paying dividends.
Ozbey beat the offside trap in the 26? minute, though again failed to double his side?s lead with a wayward strike finishing well over the crossbar.
The Reds created an opening via a set-piece on the half-hour as Mitchell Thompson?s delivery from the left-flank picked out Elsid Barkhousir. The Reds? striker rose highest inside the penalty-area to get a header on goal, though the effort failed to force Brodie Crane into a save.
Ozbey?s pace got the better of Reds captain Joe Vrkic in the 35? minute as the League?s top goalscorer got to the byline to cut a fine square ball into the path of Roodenburg. The Blacktown City captain overran his run though, and failed to get an effort on goal.
Thompson?s set-pieces provided the Reds with their only real look-ins, and on 37? minutes, the midfielder?s delivery nearly picked out Cindric at the back post, though the Blacktown City defenders managed to clear the ball away to safety.
Joel Chianese should have grabbed his second for the afternoon moments prior to the break when Ozbey played a fine square ball into space. The young attacking midfielder, with only the goalkeeper ahead of him, was dragged a little too wide of the goal and failed to get any power behind his shot with Norval saving comfortably.
Sydney United opened second-half proceedings on the front-foot though the Reds were limited to efforts from distance. Barkhousir was sent free down the right-flank in the 48? minute, though his cross for Glavas was easy pickings for goalkeeper Brodie Crane.
Mitchell Thompson?s free-kick delivery from the left on 50? minutes found the head of Cindric at the back post, though the Reds central defender failed to hit the target.
Despite Blacktown City seemingly in control, the Reds drew level in the 52? minutes via Luka Glavas. The lanky striker got in behind the defence to latch onto substitute Steve Hayes? through ball and finished with aplomb, slotting the ball into the back of Crane?s net.
Blacktown City lifted the intensity after conceding the goal and Ozbey got in behind the Reds defence on 55? minutes before rounding the goalkeeper. Ozbey took the ball wide of goal, though perfectly drove an effort on target, denied only by Joe Vrkic?s last ditch save on the goal-line.
Ivo Bosnar tried his luck from distance in the 75? minute, though goalkeeper Brodie Crane was not called upon to make a save.
The home-side?s afternoon took a turn for the worst when they were reduced to ten-men on 77? minutes. Glavas was played through on goal, though brought to ground by Matt Pressello ? the referee left with no chance but to issue the defender a straight red card.
The numerical advantage spurred the Reds on, and following Shane Lyons? free-kick ? saved comfortably by Crane ? Barkhousir and then Brodie created half-chances, though the Blacktown City defence stood firm.
Blacktown City nearly found a potential winner 5? minutes from time as Joel Chianese dribbled his way into the penalty-area. With only the goalkeeper ahead of him, Chianese?s low-driven effort was well-parried by Norval down to his left.
Norval was called upon again moments later, saving a powerful point-blank Ozbey drive.
The Reds continued to walk on a tight rope in the final minutes as Cindric produced a goal-line save to deny Jordan Simpson a certain goal. With Norval beaten by Simpson?s diagonal effort across goal, Cindric remained composed to divert any danger and send the match into extra-time.
The 30? minutes of extra-time commenced horribly for Blacktown City as goalkeeper Brodie Crane was shown a straight red card for a last man foul outside the penalty-area on Barkhousir. With nine-men on the field, Aytek Genc was forced to sacrifice Travis Major, replaced by reserve goalkeeper Justin Biega. The young shot-stopper made an immediate impact, swiftly clearing his goal-line to thwart another Sydney United counter-attack via the long ball.
Despite the numerical advantage, and the greater share of possession, the Reds failed to carve out an opening in the first period of extra-time. Steve Hayes came closest with a volley from the edge of the penalty-area on 102? minutes, though Jordan Simpson bravely put his body on the line to thwart any danger.
Luka Glavas slalomed his way down the left-flank before delivering a pin-point cross in to the path of Barkhousir in the 108? minute, thought the Reds striker uncharacteristically blasted his effort well over the crossbar.
Barkhousir had another chance with 3? minutes remaining, though his left-foot curler from the edge of the penalty-area was easily saved by Biega.
Following the match, Blacktown City FC coach Aytek Genc expressed his satisfaction with the efforts of his players:
?I am extremely happy with my boys for the heart and commitment they all showed out there this afternoon.
?Going down to ten-men is always tough, though to then go to nine and continue fighting until the end is just remarkable, and I am really happy with each and every player.
?We?ve had players out for suspension and injury recently, and now we?ll be without Matty (Pressello) and Brodie (Crane), though we will certainly draw a lot of confidence from this hard fought victory.
?I do have to say though, that we still created chances, and really should have put away at least one of them, though we got through and that was our objective.?
Questioned about Mirko Jurlj?s exquisite penalty, the Blacktown City FC boss was well aware of his defender?s intention:
?It takes a lot of courage to attempt a penalty like that one, I knew he was going to go for it, and he pulled it off? so we are all very happy, obviously,? ended Genc.
Sydney United boss David Zdrilic remained positive despite the loss:
?We are disappointed of course, having played a poor first-half, and then not able to kill them off in the second with the extra man ? and then of course they went down to nine men.
?We didn?t move the ball around quick enough, though it is difficult to break down a team that sets up to defend at the back? perhaps it would have been better had they not lost the two players, we may have produced a different result.
?The boys will be pumped for the match next weekend, especially having lost in this way tonight, so we will certainly be prepared for a big match at our home ground.
?A.P.I.A.-Leichhardt Tigers have been one of the form sides in recent weeks, and we will need to perform to get through and have a shot at reaching the grand-final,? Zdrilic ended.
Penalty shoot-out sequence:
Joe Vrkic (Sydney United) ? goal ? bottom left-hand corner.
Tolgay Ozbey (Blacktown City FC) ? goal – top left-hand corner, in off the underside of the crossbar
Luka Glavas (Sydney United) ? goal ? bottom right-hand corner
Jordan Simpson (Blacktown City FC) ? top right-hand corner
Shane Lyons (Sydney United) ? saved ? Biega down to his left.
Luke Roodenburg (Blacktown City FC) ? goal ? down the middle of the goal
Damon Collina (Sydney United) ? goal ? top left-hand corner
Ante Deur (Blacktown City FC) ? goal ? bottom left-hand corner, goalkeeper Norval got a hand to the ball.
Todd Brodie (Sydney United ) ? goal ? bottom right-hand corner.
Mirko Jurlj (Blacktown City FC) ? goal ? exquisite chip down the middle of the goal.
In the Grade-20 division, Sydney United progressed to a meeting with Blacktown City FC next weekend following a 1-0 defeat of Sydney Olympic. Luke Gearin?s unfortunate own goal in the 19? minute was enough for the Reds to secure the win in a hard fought battle. The loss for the Blues sets up a showdown with the winner of the elimination semi-final, Bankstown City following the Lions extra-time defeat of Sutherland Sharks.
Match Stats
Blacktown City FC 1 (Joel Chianese 13? )
Sydney United 1 (Luka Glavas 52? )
Blacktown City FC 5-4 victors on penalties.
Sunday, 8th August, 2010
Lily Homes Stadium, Seven Hills
Referee: Kris Griffiths-Jones
Assistant Referees: Steven Nguyen and Adam Coombes
Fourth Official: Adam Weir
Crowd: 700 Approx.
Blacktown City FC: 1.Brodie Crane; 2.Tyler Simpson, 4.Mirko Jurilj, 23.Luke Austin, 6.Matt Pressello, 7.Luke Roodenberg (C), 9.Kain Rastall (10.Jordan Simpson 68?), 11.Mitchell Long, 17.Joel Chianese (16.Ante Deur 111?), 18.Travis Major (40.Justin Biega 92?), 19.Tolgay Ozbey
Substitutes Not Used: 8.Chris Bedzo, 12.Bernie Ibini
Yellow Cards: Tyler Simpson 30?, Jordan Simpson 71?
Red Cards: Matt Pressello 77?, Brodie Crane 92?
Sydney United: 1.Ryan Norval; 4.Michael Cindric, 5.Damon Collina, 6.Joe Vrkic (C), 8.Shane Lyons, 14.Petar Markovic (10.Steve Hayes 46?), 23.Ivo Bosnar, 22.Peter Zorbas (21.Sean Mitchell 91?), 19.Mitchell Thompson (7.Todd Brodie 74?), 16.Elsid Barkhousir, 11.Luka Glavas
Substitutes Not Used: 28.Mitchell Spears, 30.Cem Akilli
Yellow Cards: Ivo Bosnar 54?
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3 ? Mirko Jurlj (BCFC)
2 ? Luka Glavas (SU)
1 ? Justin Biega (BCFC)
-By Joseph Carlucci
