Sydney FC 3-1 Wellington Phoenix: Sydney revival continues

Sydney FC 3-1 Wellington Phoenix

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Sydney FC moved from 10th to 8th on the A-League ladder with this impressive 3-1 win over 7th-placed Wellington Phoenix at the Sydney Football Stadium last night.

The home side were unlucky not to go in front as early as the 12th minute, but keeper Mark Paston produced two excellent saves within seconds from Mark Bridge and Alex Brosque.

Brendan Gan gave Sydney the lead two minutes later when Bridge glanced a left-wing cross on to him at the far post and he headed home for his first goal of the season.

Wellington responded two minutes later when Ivan Nacevksi had to parry Nick Ward’s shot wide for a corner.

In the 26th minute, Paul Ifill’s snap shot from the right was saved superbly by Nacevski.

Brosque went close 8 minutes into the second half, his powerful shot from the left just going wide of the far post.

Tim Brown missed a sitter for Wellington from close range on the hour after Chris Greeenacre had glanced on a cross.

In the 68th minute, Ifill turned Sebastian Ryall inside out on the left of the box but drove the ball into the side-netting.

Bridge made it 2-0 in the 73rd minute when he was put through by a perfect pass from Terry Antonis, while Brosque added the third three minutes later from Bridge’s pass to the right pout him into the box and he beat Paston from 12 metres. It should not have counted, however, as Ryall clearly handled the ball before getting a pass to Bridge.

Substitute Dylan MacAllister reduced the arrears 8 minutes from the end from Vince Lia’s pass, while the visitors should have had another in the 85th minute after Ryall fluffed his clearance after an Ifill cross, but Rojas blazed wildly over the bar.

Ifill had a great chance in the final minute but shot straight at Nacevski.

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Sydney FC: Necevski - Cole, Ryall, Foxe, Jamieson (Keller 75) - McFlynn, Musialik, Gan - Bridge, Moriyasu (Antonis 63), Brosque (Petratos 79) (Sub not used: Reddy)

Booked: Bridge

Goals: Gan 14, Bridge 73, Brosque 76

Wellington Phoenix: Paston - Hearfield (Greenacre 56), North, Durante, Muscat - Lia, Sigmund, Daniel (Rojas 56), Ward (MacAllister 78) - Ifill, Brown (Sub not used: Vukovic)

Booked: Sigmund

Goals: MacAllister 82

Att: 4,012

Ref: G Parsons