On a hot afternoon at a relatively quiet Allianz Stadium, Sydney FC slumped to yet another home defeat, losing 3-1 to the Wellington Phoenix.
Graham Arnold rang in the changes for Sydney FC with six personnel being moved, among them former Phoenix striker Shane Smeltz, following the heavy defeat to Melbourne City in Round 22. For the Nix, veteran Ben Sigmund finally returned to the starting line-up, and Blake Powell returned against his former club, as the Phoenix looked to put their 4-0 drubbing at the hands of league leaders Adelaide last time out behind them.
Last time these two sides had clashed in Sydney it was a dour 0-0 draw. Not so this time. Despite some early pressure by Sydney FC, the Phoenix had the better of the opening chances, and it was Blake Powell who got the first goal for Wellington. Following a mazy run and cross by McGlinchey, Powell capitalised on the half defended clearance to finish off at the back post on 11 minutes. Two minutes later, it was 2-0. Hamish Watson slotting home with aplomb following a delightful Roly Bonevacia through-ball. It was simple stuff by the Nix, as the New Zealand side worked Sydney’s high defensive line and successfully got in behind on multiple occasions.
Arguably an even bigger blow to Sydney came in the 20th minute, as a rogue Albert Riera challenge brought down Milos Ninkovic and the Sydney playmaker had to depart the field. Things didn’t look good for the Serbian as early reports speculated he had done ligament damage to his ankle in the challenge. Big money signing Filip Holosko came on in his stead and immediately, strangely, kissed the Sydney badge.
I wonder if now is a good time to let Sydney fans know Marc Janko has scored 15 goals in 22 games for Basel this season #SYDvWEL
— The Football Sack (@TheFootballSack) 12 March 2016
With the Sydney defence at sixes and sevens, it was the up-for-it McGlinchey who again provided the spark for Wellington to score a third in the 36th minute. And it was Roly Bonevacia who turned in his wicked cross at the back post after Watson had scuffed his chance for a brace. It was a shell-shocked Sydney side that went into the sheds 3-0 down, with boos from the crowd ringing around the ground.
As Sydney looked to fight their way back from the large deficit, sub Holosko scored his seventh goal of the season in the 50th minute. The marquee man met a Robert Stambolziev cross from the left, and he made no mistake with the finish, lashing home from close range.
Ultimately however their poor first half had left Sydney too much to do, and they couldn’t make a come back in a second-half where they dominated possession as Wellington dropped back, defending deeper and deeper. The match meandered to its conclusion, with Sydney not being able to breach the stacked Nix defence, and score the second goal that would’ve really ignited the game in the final minutes. Sydney succumbed to another defeat and the boos rang out around the ground.
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