Cahill injury turns to agony
AN ankle injury to Socceroos star Tim Cahill reduced Sydney FC’s win over table-toppers Melbourne City to an afterthought.
Luke Wilkshire’s first ALeague goal gave the Sky Blues a 1-0 win last night to put Graham Arnold’s side on top of the competition for the first time this season.
A boisterous pack of away fans celebrated the 60th-minute goal, but earlier at AAMI Park, the atmosphere was funereal.
An ankle knock to Cahill — in his first club start of the season — hushed the crowd, well aware this was his last match before heading to Honduras for do-or- die World Cup qualifiers.
The 37-year-old appeared to tweak his right ankle while hurdling Sydney FC defender Jordi Buijs during an innocuous challenge.
After playing on for several minutes, Cahill slumped to the ground and signalled for a substitution.
Scans will determine whether Cahill is able to represent his country in a week. In any case, City felt his absence last night against the A-League champions.
The Sky Blues looked a class above City, who had previously recorded four straight wins for their best start to a campaign.
City gave up the lion’s share of possession but both teams failed to score during a highpaced first half.
City talisman Nick Fitzger- ald came closest, running through the midfield before receiving the ball back on the edge of the box and unleashing a shot that appeared destined for the corner of the net.
Maligned ex-City gloveman Andrew Redmayne produced a world-class fingertip save in front of City’s fans to preserve the deadlock.
Ross McCormack missed a tap-in from Fitzgerald’s fine centre after halftime before Sydney FC made the breakthrough.