Sydney United Get Back To Winning Ways In An Intense Game Over Blacktown City FC
It was a hard fought battle at Blacktown City Sports Centre in round 5 of the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition, where Sydney United came away with a 2-1 victory over Blacktown City.
This match of the round did live up to expectations and it was evident in the opening minutes we were in for a treat.
Blacktown City got the action rolling when Dakota Askew saw his effort in the box rattle the crossbar in the 5th minute of the game.
4 minutes later it was Sydney United scoring the opening goal through Kyle Cimenti, after Tariq Maia cut the ball across goal for an easy tap in.
Blacktown were quick to find an equaliser when Daniel Collins poked the ball home at the back stick from a corner, in the 15th minute to make 1-1.
Cimenti was looking for a second in the 20th minute after a nice one-two with Chris Payne, opened up a shooting chance for Cimenti on the edge of the box but Blacktown keeper Alex Robinson denied his effort.
Cimenti came close again, when Glen Trifiro played him into the box but Robinson was positioned well to deny Cimenti again, this time in the 35th minute.
In the 37th minute, Devante Clut found Payne with a perfectly weighted over the top through ball but Robinson got down low to palm the ball away and to ensure the score remains level heading into half-time.
First half ends 1-1 with both teams starting the game like they have a point to prove and managed to keep the game flowing at a quick tempo.
United had the first chance of the second half to secure a double through Payne in the 51st minute.
Maia found Payne beyond the Blacktown defence with an over the top ball but Payne’s one-on-one chance against Robinson saw his shot strike the right side post.
Blacktown replied back with their own chance in 53rd minute from a corner again.
Lachlan Campbell got up but couldn’t get much power on his header and the ball bounced comfortably into Danijel Nizic’s hands.
In the 74th minute Campbell had a better chance give his side the lead.
Campbell picked up the ball in the box off Charles Mendy’s blocked shot but Nizic made an amazing save to get his hand to the shot and steer the ball onto to the post, where then Matthew Bilic cleared the ball away.
Shortly after, Jordan Smylie from Blacktown played Mendy through on the counter and Mendy’s pace was too much for United defence as he found himself with an opportunity in the box but Nizic came up with another amazing save, in the 79th minute.
Finally, after so many chances the game saw its third goal come from Sydney United substitute Patrick Antelmi in the 83rd minute.
In what was a scrappy goal, Antelmi tumbled over Blacktown keeper Robinson with the ball and fortunately saw the ball ricochet off his body into the open net but nevertheless this gave United the lead, and eventually won them the game.
In the 89th minute, Askew tried to keep Blacktown hopes alive but Nizic was on fire in this second half and pulled off another great save to deny Askew’s long distance effort.
In stoppage time, Trifiro came so close to scoring a third for United when his volleyed shot just inside the box beat the keeper but rattled the cross bar instead.
Blacktown had their own chance late in stoppage time and must have thought they scored the equaliser after Hiroaki Aoyama got his head on the end of Askew’s cross but headed the ball into the ground and saw it bounce over the bar.
Sydney United were glad to the hear the final whistle and come away with a 2-1 victory in what was an exciting hard fought battle.
Nizic proved to be the standout player for United’s win against Blacktown as he made some stunning saves in the second half.
MATCH STATISTICS
BLACKTOWN CITY FC: 1 (Collins 15’)
SYDNEY UNITED 58: 2 (Cimenti 9’, Antelmi 83’)
@ BLACKTOWN CITY SPORTS CENTRE
SUNDAY, 3RD APRIL, 2022
3:00PM KICKOFF
Blacktown City FC
Coach: Mark Crittenden
3. Daniel Collins, 4. Lachlan Campbell, 5. Grant Lynch, 6. Matthew Lewis (9. Jake Trew 87’), 8. Jak O’Brien, 10. Mario Shabow (32. Hiroaki Aoyama 59’), 11. Mitchell Mallia (7. Jordan Smylie 66’), 17. Dakota Askew, 19. Adam Berry, 21. Charles Mendy, 30. Alex Robinson
Substitutes Not Used: 12. Tynen Burnie, 18. Nicholas O’Brien, 20. Cayden Henderson
Yellow Cards: Lewis 83’
Red Cards: Nil
Sydney United 58
Coach: Joe Haywood
1. Danijel Nizic, 4. Adrian Vlastelica, 5. Anthony Tomelic, 6. Christopher Payne (13. Jordan Ivancic), 8. Kyle Cimenti (9. Patrick Antelmi 62’), 10. Devante Clut (21. Mihael Marcic 87’), 11.Yianni Perkatis, 14. Andreas Agamemnonos, 15. Tariq Maia (3. Jordan Roberts 62’), 17. Matthew Billic, 18. Glen Trifiro
Substitutes Not Used: 16. Adrian Knez, 55. Goran Palecek
Yellow Cards: Tomelic 31’
Red Cards: Nil
Referee: Hassan Jomaa
Assistant Referees: Joon Park and Nick Vermaat
Fourth Official: Nicholas Kour