Reigning A-League champions Sydney FC remain winless this season following a 1-1 draw with North Queensland Fury tonight. The Sky Blues failed to put their domination onto the scoresheet after Shannon Cole's brilliant 37th minute opener before David Williams levelled for the Fury with 14 minutes remaining.
A-League Week 8 (midweek)Sydney FC: 1 (Shannon Cole 37') North Queensland Fury: 1 (David Williams 76') Venue:Sydney Football Stadium Crowd: 6,978 Referee: Ryan Shepheard Yellow cards:SYD - Stuart Musialik 54' NQF - Erick Akoto 17', Andre Kilian 55', Jack Hingert 84', Eugene Sseppuya 86'
Sydney were in search of their first win of the season but North Queensland were not going to let them get it easily as the tackles flew in thick and fast from the word go.
As the rain fell in the mid-stages of the first half, the Sky Blues controlled possession and were getting plenty more ball into their penalty area. They came inches way from an opener in the 34th minute when Mark Bridge found space at the top but his shot slammed into the outside of the post after beating Fury keeper Justin Pasfield.
Minutes later, Sydney took the lead when Shannon Cole scored one of the GOALS of the season with a brilliant volleyed finish from outside the area. Bridge knocked it sideways to Cole who controlled the aerial ball with his chest before using the outside of his boot to get it up and over Pasfield and into the back of the net.
The goal kicked the Fury into gear with the visitors having the best of the final eight or so minutes but they were unable to get one back before the half-time whistle.
Sydney were still on top in the second half as the forwards kept trying their luck from around the edge of the area and goalkeeper Liam Reddy had very little to do down the other end.
But the Sky Blues were finding it difficult to double their advantage and were in danger of losing their lead with some sloppy defending at times as North Queensland chased an equaliser.
When the 70-minute mark hit, Sydney decided it was time to kill off the match with Brosque and captain Terry McFlynn coming close in quick succession but much to their dismay, the Fury hit back in the 76th minute. GOAL Eugene Sseppuya brought David Williams into play with a piercing ball from a deep angle into a better goalscoring position and the speedy striker struck a bending shot past Reddy to make it 1-1 and punish the home side for not putting the game away.
In the 82nd minute, McFlynn was desperately unlucky not to have put his side ahead with a superb chip that hit the underside of the bar before bouncing down onto the goal line, off the upright and into the arms of Pasfield but despite their domination, the Sky Blues were unable to grab maximum points for the eighth time this season as the draw kept them rooted to the bottom of the table with the Fury three points ahead in 10th position.
Starting Line-Ups
SYD Liam Reddy (gk), Seb Ryall, Stephan Keller, Hiro Moriyasu, Stuart Musialik, Bruno Cazarine, Shannon Cole, Alex Brosque, Terry McFlynn, Mark Bridge, Sung-Hwan Byun (Jamieson 58')
Subs - Ivan Necevski (gk), Hayden Foxe, Matthew Jurman, Scott Jamieson (58')
NQFJustin Pasfield (gk), Eric Akoto, Mark Hughes, Gareth Edds (McDonald 75'), David Williams, Andre Kilian, Chris Grossman, Chris Payne (Hingert 63'), Simon Storey, Osama Malik (Sseppuya 56'), Isaka Cernak
Subs - Sebastian Usai (gk), Jack Hingert (63'), Brad McDonald (75'), Eugene Sseppuya (56')
