Sydney FC crowned 2016 NPL 2 Men’s Champions

Sydney FC claimed the National Premier Leagues 2 NSW Men’s Grand Final with a comprehensive 4-1 victory over Western Sydney Wanderers, to make it a clean sweep of titles for the season, a year completed with some aplomb at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday afternoon.

The day promised much and it didn’t fail to deliver and the 1,611 crowd on hand would have left the ground satisfied with the quality of football on display.

Both teams made changes from last week’s semi-final line-ups with keeper Matthew Symes, Brenton Fox and Lawrence Hanna all returning from a successful tour to Japan with the Wanderers A-League squad while Sydney FC made just the one change, welcoming back Bai Antoniou from suspension, in place of Daniel Maskin.

And it was Antoniou who was most the impressive early, being involved from the opening whistle and clearly enjoying being back in action after his two week enforced absence. After only five minutes, Antoniou struck the post, almost creating an early lead for the Sky Blues, before Charles Lokolingoy turned the rebound into Symes’ hands.

Four minutes further on and a free header at the far post gave Antoniou a second bite of the cherry, before a pot shot from distance a little later showed that Antoniou wasn’t going to die wondering.

Sydney FC were dominating the early exchanges, looking comfortable at the back with their recently rejigged backline handling most that the Wanderers attempted, the closest that the league runners up could get being a strike from Jordan Morfitis, which was always going wide.

It was a surprise then that it was the Wanderers who took the lead. It started with a great run from Morfitis who gained good ground before pushing the ball out wide, with the ensuing cross neatly falling for Moudi Najjar who had little trouble in striking the ball past Mitchell Evans, from close range.

Twenty-five minutes down and the Wanderers had the lead against the recently crowned Premiers but it was a lead that was to last only four minutes. Sydney FC set about amending their lone lapse and it came from a combination which has set the Sky Blues alight all year. Lokolingoy made the space, and Antoniou finished it off, slamming home the equaliser just before the half hour.

And four further minutes on from that goal, Sydney FC gained the upper hand. Juan Zapata found time on the right, his shot was parried by Symes and Christopher Arditti had the simple task of knocking the ball into the empty net for a 2-1 lead.

The Wanderers had a half chance to regain some ground when Sydney FC keeper Mitchell Evans found himself well outside the area, and Morfitis tried an audacious lob, but the effort cleared the bar.

Things quickly worsened for the Wanderers who had defender Richard Stewart off the field receiving treatment when a ten man Wanderers fell a further goal behind. Sydney FC took advantage of the increased space, Zapata dribbled past four or so into the area, before sliding the ball past Symes.

It was 3-1 at half time, and it was looking good for Sydney FC.

Fifteen minutes into the second half, it was looking even better.

Sydney FC’s fourth was the goal of the match, and Lokolingoy, the competition’s leading scorer, was not going to be outdone on the big day and in a superb individual effort, ran at the Wanderers defence from just inside half way. Using his pace and power, Lokolingoy shrugged off all attempts to dispossess him, before sweetly striking over Symes.

It was a sealer, despite there being thirty minutes still on the clock.

To their credit Western Sydney Wanderers kept at it during that remaining half hour, creating a few chances with Fox having the best of them, but Evans was equal to the task on each occasion.

But it was Sydney FC’s day and they can proudly add the Championship title to their tally for the year. Coming hot on the heels of their confirmed promotion to NSW’s top tier competition in 2017, there is certainly plenty for the club to celebrate.

For Matthew Green, the central defender who formed a major part of that rejigged Sky Blue defence, the day was capped off nicely with the Man of the Match award.

Match Stats

Sydney FC 4 (Bai Antoniou 29’, Christopher Arditti 33’, Juan Zapata 37’, Charles Lokolingoy 60’)

Western Sydney Wanderers 1 (Moudi Najjar 25’)

Saturday 17 September 2016

at Leichhardt Oval, Leichhardt

Referee: Chris Young

Assts: Danny Horstead and Nick Backo

Fourth Official: Michael Weiner

Sydney FC: 1. Mitchell Evans 2. Brendan Curtis 3. Liam McGing 6. Nicola Kuleski 7. Daniel Araujo (c) 8. Juan Zapata 9. Bai Antoniou (16. Sam McIlhatton 88’) 10. Andreas Agamemnonos (19. Daniel Maskin 74’) 11. Christopher Arditti 12. Charles Lokolingoy (17. Emmaneul Gonzalez 88’) 13. Matthew Green. 

Subs not used: 20. Nicholas Sorras 14. John Iredale.

Yellow Cards: Juan Zapata

Coach: Robert Stanton

Western Sydney Wanderers: 18. Matthew Symes 3. Henry Davies 4. Abdelrahman Kuku (c) 11. Richard Stewart (19. Malcolm Ward 37’) 12. Lawrence Hanna 14. Brenton Fox (42. Matthew Lecce 71’) 16. Jordan Morfitis (24. Tacettin Kumsuz 46’) 20. Charles Abou Serhal 25. Kosta Grozos 33. Moudi Najjar 35. Lachlan Campbell

Subs not used: 30. Daniel Axford 36. Jerry Skotadis

Yellow cards: Brenton Fox, Charles Abou Serhal, Abdulrahman Kuku

Coach: Trevor Morgan

– by Peter Rowney, Play Station 4 National Premier Leagues 2 NSW Men’s Reporter