SD Raiders 0 Sydney FC 1
A superb strike from silky Japanese import Takahiro Sekine guided Sydney FC past the stumbling block of NPL side SD Raiders at Fairfield Showground on Wednesday night. On a perfect winter’s night for football, the home team kept themselves in the game until the bitter end, but coudn’t find a way past in-form goalkeeper Gus Hoefsloot. This was a game where the referee made the biggest impression on the crowd, showing incredible leniency, but thankfully both teams came through without any serious damage. On to Leichhardt Oval for a semi-final that will be a blockbuster whoever gets through the quarter-final.
A midweek jaunt to Fairfield had us sitting in the dense traffic that plagues Northmead every night around that time, but from then on the run was straightforward, managing to negotiate the bizarre roundabout at Polding Street correctly and we arrived at Fairfield Showground a good hour before kick off. This is not typical. We’d normally be rushing in three minutes before the start after visiting a nearby club and finding the last car park miles away – this was a little treat to ourselves, and so was the pre-game food from the Pacman food hut, consumed in peace without blaring music while Sydney FC warmed up in front of us.
No sign of the new signing Oriola Sunday, but Akol Akon was out there, as was Joe Lacey, and we were encouraged by the line-up. There was a bit of confusion about where the Cove would set up, eventually spotting the banner being unfurled over the Hahn Australia Cup sign at the hill end, and we could imagine the discussions being had between security and the black-clad Sydney fans about covering up the major sponsor’s sign. There was a good turn out, the main stand full and the hill covered in people, leaving the end and the far side behind the camera positions empty. The playing surface was absolutely magnificent, better than anything we’ve seen at Allianz Stadium this year.
The players switched ends, someone knowing the lay of the land here, but there was no wind whatsoever, so perhaps Rhyno had swapped around so Sydney FC could shoot towards their fans in the second half. Sydney started the game on fire. Ben Garuccio gave us a little nutties on the left and Tiago Quintal shimmied brilliantly to cross for an early chance. Alex Popovic jumped in front of the SD Raiders keeper when he tried to clear, signalling his team’s intent to be ratbags in this quarter final cup clash. An incredible chance was created by Sekine; he took the ball down and danced around the goalkeeper, but couldn’t find his feet to finish and the defender blocked well. Mathias Macallister was then found by a raking ball from Akon, and he stepped around the keeper too, but could only find the player on the line who booted clear.
It had been coming, but when Lacey lifted a lovely ball to Sekine, just onside, the J-League star took the ball out of the air and fired an unstoppable shot into the net with no lack of poise and class, wheeling away in delight at the opening goal. Sydney were looking good, but their insistence on playing the risky short game at the back almost backfired when Hoefsloot got his feet mixed up and the ball nearly rolled in the net. The referee was giving nothing tonight, for either side, even when Sekine was unceremoniously hacked to the ground, there was no card. Raiders rallied towards the end of the first half, a right-footed shot from the edge of the area sending Hoefsloot across goal to palm wide, before Sydney ended the half on the attack, Macallister beating two players with no shortage of skill, but his final pass was straight to a defender.
The second half was action packed. Garuccio, who had been fabulous in the first period, started the half with a back-heeled volley to clear a dangerous cross. Akon was poleaxed, again the referee deciding to take no action, and the new million-dollar superstar then played Garuccio in with a cute ball on the right, the shot flashing past the far post. Akon showed fabulous feet before stuffing up the move with a clumsy touch, but then swept in an early cross that Macallister couldn’t control.
SD Raiders did have plenty of the ball in the Sydney half, a fine cross from the right leading to a low shot that Hoefsloot saved well. From a Sydney FC corner, the break was on at the other end, Rhyan Grant doing well as the only defender against four marauding Raiders. The subs started, and it was good to see Al Hassan Toure on, his first contribution a race down the right and a drilled cross that was just missed by the incoming attackers. Akon had swapped sides now, and executed a superb sliding tackle to foil a Raiders’ attack, his replacement on the right Toure dancing up the wing again but crossing way too close to the goalkeeper.
The biggest talking point of the night was the non-award of a penalty against Sydney. The SD Raiders striker took a heavy touch that took him to the edge of the area, Jordan Courtney-Perkins slid in and appeared to win the ball with a sliding challenge, but the referee took a moment before pointing to the penalty spot. There was total confusion as a free kick was eventually awarded, the crowd murmurs telling the story of the confusion; the tackle was in the box, it was a good tackle, why was it even a free-kick? The resulting set piece was athletically tipped over by Hoefsloot – it was definitely going in.
There were corners for the home team, Hoefsloot having to deal with the attentions of an SD Raiders player with no protection from the referee, and Sydney doing just enough to contain their lively hosts. Zac De Jesus came on to groans from the away fans – they haven’t warmed to him at all yet. Popovic somehow escaped a yellow card, slicing down the last man, not even giving away a free kick as play restarted with a throw-in. De Jesus got himself into a good position, his shot deflected away for a corner as Sydney searched for a second goal. It wasn’t to come though, and as the final whistle went, De Jesus rifled the ball into the Raiders’ net from distance, feigning celebration at scoring.
The players stayed in the centre of the field for some time as the crowd streamed out, having to do their celebration shot for the cameras a second time when De Jesus realised he’d missed out while chatting on the sideline. This had been a good spectacle, not a breath of wind on an evening that didn’t get as cold as expected, with a pristine playing surface and a knowledgeable football crowd. The Sydney players eventually saluted the Cove, who were low in numbers by now, and the standard love-in between players and family and fans took place in front of the main stand as the last of the fans were shooed out by security.
The car park was emptying out by now, and an easy run home saw us in the house at 10:30pm, a most respectable time for a week night. This had been an entertaining evening. We had seen some sublime football from Sekine, a hot and cold performance from Akon, who looked tentative in the challenge but tricky in possession, a lot of concise passing in triangles, but also a little bit of self-destruction in trying to play out from the back. Garuccio continues to impress, Lacey looked composed and Hoefsloot had a superb command of his area.
Two months out from the season, the signs are good. There is work to do, but the Sky Blues look to have started their pre-season in good nick. We now advance to the semi-final stage, and an early search for an ACL2 spot. Rumour has it Leichhardt Oval will be the venue whatever the result in the Apia v Victory game. Can’t wait for that one, hope it’s an all-Sydney affair! Forza Sydney FC!