Sky Blue rampage extends
SYDNEY FC have continued their history-making ALeague campaign by claiming a 3-0 win over Melbourne City, the Sky Blues’ league-record 19th win of the regular season.
After a closely fought 57 minutes last night at Allianz Stadium, skipper Alex Brosque and Bobo cracked the game open with a goal each in a telling six-minute period.
The Brazilian striker sealed the victory with a second goal in the 90th minute.
A week after securing the Premiers’ Plate with three matches remaining before the finals, the Sky Blues also kept a record 15th clean sheet for the season.
The three points takes the Sky Blues to 62 points, keeping the title favourites on track to shatter Brisbane’s 65-point mark set over 30 games in the 2010-11 summer.
For City, the result leaves them hanging on to third alongside the Roar, who take on Central Coast today, and two points ahead of the inform Western Sydney.
Just days after his 20-minute cameo for the Socceroos, star Tim Cahill started but fail- ed to get a shot off before bowing out in the 77th minute.
Played at a finals-style pace in front of 15,266 spectators, a Bruno Fornaroli seventh-minute free kick was the best chance for either side early on.
His inswinger beat the outstretched arms of a diving Daniel Vukovic but struck the post. Aaron Calver also saved a Rhyan Grant blunder midway through the first half, while Fornaroli’s ambitious scissorkick wasn’t far off.
City’s chances seemed to kick the home side into gear, with a Bobo header just clearing the crossbar.
Grant should have broken the deadlock after halftime when his close-range tap-in was saved off the line by Ivan Franjic, however it didn’t take much longer for Sydney FC to seize the initiative.
And the opening goal came with shocking ease, with a long throw from Michael Zullo allowed to bounce by City and latched on to by a cutting Brosque. Bobo doubled their advantage soon after, hitting home a low cross from Zullo from close-range and then completed a brace by nodding home a David Carney lob in the final minute.