Sharks hold firm against young guns Sydney FC

Two teams fighting to avoid relegation couldn’t be separated as the Sutherland Sharks and Sydney FC played out an intense 0-0 draw at Seymour Shaw Park on a windy Saturday afternoon.

It was the Sharks who made the early running in the swirling conditions but were unable to capitalise on the half-chances created yet looked susceptible at times to the ball over the top and the pacey FC transitional play.

Jacob Brazete showed plenty of promise and a clean pair of heels from the left-wing position in the opening stages. When Sutherland did break through, the FC side were back in numbers almost hunting in packs to nullify the threat.

The wind was playing havoc with any ball put up in the air and with two sides playing football on the deck in the main, time and space were precious commodities neither managed to hold for any lengthy period. The passing was crisp from both but nearing the end of the half, neither ‘keeper had been called into action but the game was anything but boring. A real cat and mouse type of match.

The Academy stars produced a late surge, Bailey Callaghan twice having shots charged down when cutting inside from the left flank, however the deadlock wasn’t broken as the sides went into the half-time break all square.

The second-half picked up where the first had finished, plenty of enterprise with no threat to the scoreboard until Mitchell Glasson cannoned a shot onto the crossbar in the 50th minute for Sydney, the closest effort to date to opening the scoring in front of a very respectable crowd in ‘the Shire.’

Ayouk Mow replaced Callaghan for the first substitution of the game when slotting into the right side of an attacking three but it was Glasson who came close again, this time sending his shot flashing past the upright, Sutherland yet to register an attempt on target.

That changed in the 57th minute when FC gloveman Daniel Solsky produced a memorable save to turn the ball away from goal from a Lachlan Macdonald shot-cum-cross. It was a rare moment with the visitors looking the more likely to find the net, roared on by their hardy supporters in the far corner at the Miranda end of the ground who chanted almost continuously for the entire duration.

Matty Jackson fired one over the top, albeit from a difficult chance, with a quarter-hour remaining, a goal for Sutherland at this stage would be deemed most precious in context to their season.

Sydney FC had the better of the second-half and perhaps felt they should have gained all three points but survived a late penalty call after it was waived away when Sharks substitute Andrew Vlahadamis went sprawling inside the Sydney box adding late drama to proceedings but ultimately with no goals the match finished as it started, scoreless but not for the lack of intent shown by both sides.

Sydney FC coach Jimmy Van Weeren felt his side should have taken all three points.

“We were the better team today by a long way,” he said.

“We created plenty of chances but lacked converting them in the end and getting them on target, particularly at the death.

“Our defensive effort was excellent, and I cannot think of a time when they (Sutherland) had a shot on target so very proud of that side of our game, but we probably deserved a win today,” he ended.

While Sutherland Sharks Assistant Coach Joe Caleta was content his side picked up a point and felt they should have had a penalty.

“Sydney FC were putting a lot of pressure on us, and we sat back a little bit in the second-half but we had a few chances,” he stated.

“We feel we should have had a clear-cut penalty right at the end of the game but that was unfortunate not the case.

“The boys played well in the first-half and we also did very well at the start of the second-half and realised today was a real ‘six-pointer’ but we have to share the points so we now just have to see what happens next week,” he concluded.

Match Stats

Sutherland Sharks 0

Sydney FC 0

Seymour Shaw Park, Miranda

Saturday, 20th July  2024

Referee: Adrian Arndt

Assistants: Hugh Fenton-White and Isaac Riggs

Fourth Official: Ayad Naji

Sutherland Sharks: 1. Nenad Vekic, 2. Kotaro Katsuta, 4. Mitch Stamatellis, 5. Takahide Umebachi, 8. Mo Ahmed (10. Mason Fernandez 68’), 11. Jay McGowan, 15. Matthew Moric (14. Chris Lindsay 82’), 23. Lachlan Macdonald, 26. Jacob Garner, 27. Matty Jackson, 77. Levi Sciuriaga (9. Andrew Vlahadamis 78’)

Subs not used: 3. Jordan Roberts, 6. Sam Gulisano, 99. Jacob Cremen-Cowan

Yellow Cards: Nil

Red Cards: Nil

Sydney FC: 30. Daniel Solsky, 3. Aaron Gurd, 4. Joseph Calusic, 9. Bailey Callaghan (17. Ayouk Edward Mow 53’), 7. Jacob Brazete (11. Marin France 59’), 19. Mitchell Glasson, 22. Will Kennedy, 24. Wataru Kamijo (6. Dylan Rose 80’), 32. Samuel Lancaster (8. Lachlan Middleton 59’), 33. Mathais Macallister, 34. Blake Bolwell

Subs not used: 14. Jared Middleton, 20. Gus Hoesfloot

Yellow Cards: Aaron Gurd 30’, Wataru Kamijo 68’, Dylan Rose 90+2’

Red Cards: Nil

Player Ratings

3 – Matty Jackson (SS)

2 – Mitchell Glasson (SFC)

1 – Takahide Umebachi (SS)

By NPL NSW Men’s Reporter Micky Brock