Sydney fc delight in A-League grand final

Sydney FC have buried their Adelaide United hoodoo in emphatic fashion, holding off a late Reds surge to win 4-1 at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night to book a Hyundai A-League grand final meeting with Premiers Melbourne Victory.

An early Bernie Ibini goal and a brace from skipper Alex Brosque either side of half-time had the Sky Blues in cruise control before the Reds produced a late flurry of chances.

Craig Goodwin closed the gap 16 minutes from time and it sparked a spirited fightback from the visitors.

Nigel Boogaard hit the post while Awer Mabil, Miguel Palanca and Sergio Cirio all wasted glorious opportunities in a frentic few minutes which would have set up a grandstand finish.

Instead it was the Sky Blues who finished with a bang, Chris Naumoff capping a sublime performance with a late goal to send Sydney FC to their first decider in five years.

GOALS

1-0 Ibini (19’) – A lofted pass forward by Nikola Petkovic saw Naumoff get in behind the Reds defence down the left wing. The teenager raced into the box, got around Dylan McGowan brilliantly before cutting the ball back to Ibini, who finished powerfully into the roof of the net from the edge of the box.

2-0 Brosque (45+1’) – Milos Dimitrijevic drove at the Reds defence before finding Ibini on the right. Ibini sent in a perfect cross to the near-post and Brosque did the rest, producing an audacious back-heeled flick which snuck past Eugene Galekovic at the near post.

3-0 Brosque (47’) – Naumoff was again involved, slipping a pass to Marc Janko – who was slightly offside – in the box. The Austrian was disposed by Isaias but the loose ball fell to Brosque who finished clinically into the far corner.

3-1 Goodwin (74’) – The Reds broke forward on a quick counter-attack and had a three-on-three with Goodwin surging right through the heart of the Sydney defence. He swerved past the challenge of Matt Jurman and his shot squeezed under Vedran Janjetovic and trickled over the line. 

 4-1 Naumoff (90’) – Naumoff found Antonis about 25 yards from goal and continued his run forward, getting a return pass and smashing it high into Galekovic’s net.

TEAMS:

Sydney FC: Janjetovic, Ryall, Faty, Jurman, Petkovic, Tavares, Dimitrijevic, Ibini (Grant 76’), Brosque (Smeltz 80’), Naumoff, Janko (Antonis 61’)

Adelaide United: Galekovic, McGowan, Boogaard, Elrich, Malik (Mabil 46’), Isaias, Jeggo, Carrusca, Cirio, Sanchez (Palanca 66’), Goodwin

Scorers: Ibini 19’, Brosque 45+1’, Brosque 47’, Goodwin 74’, Naumoff 90’

Red cards: none

Yellow cards: Ryall 30’, Faty 33’, Mabil 75’, Isaias 76’, Brosque 76’, Petkovic 77’

Conditions: 16C, Fine

Attendance: 26,783 @ Allianz Stadium