The view from the top is crystal clear for SYDNEY FC after they produced a courageous come from behind 2-1 win over Melbourne Victory on Saturday night.
In front of close to 20,000 fans at Allianz Stadium, the Sky Blues recorded their fifth consecutive A-League win to start the 2016/17 season. Importantly, Sydney FC broke a nine match hoodoo against Melbourne Victory.
Victory had won 4 and drawn 5 of the previous matches so it was a vital morale boosting win.
Sydney FC are the benchmark team having won all five of their matches so far this season. As a result they now are perched on 15 points - 5 points clear at the top of the Hyundai A-League table.
Dynamic Syndications are a Corporate Partner of SYDNEY FC in 2016/17 and also are the Player Sponsor for Bernie Ibini and Brandon O’Neill.
The Big Screen at Allianz was illuminated on Saturday night and as they introduced the players to the cheers of the supporters especially from within "The Cove", the Team at Dynamic Syndications were proud to see our company's logo and recognition of support be beamed to all the Supporters.
Slide 1 Photo taken at Allianz 5/11
Slide 2 taken at Allianz 5/11
Sky Blues substitute David Carney brought on at the 70th minute displayed talent and guile when his class shown to put two goals into the back of the net.
David Carney
The visitors went to half-time one goal up after an unusual mental error across the Sydney back line where a ball was given up by the Sky Blues as heading out but a determined run by the opposition set up a tap in for Melbourne Victory in the shadows of the half-time whistle.
The win by the Sky Blues now gives the team a shot at next Sunday’s home match against Perth Glory to equal the club’s record of 10 consecutive wins having also won another 4 matches this season in the FFA Cup.
Coach Graham Arnold said: “It was a fantastic comeback. I felt that in the second half we did exceptionally well, played very well and it was probably one of the best victories we’ve had since I’ve been at the club.
“Every week I have to leave players out, Dave (Carney) was sick last week but this week he trained very well and I had to make the decision (to leave him on the bench) and it shows the togetherness in this group of players that he accepted that no problems at all.
“That’s the perfect thing with this team, we’ve got great team morale, they’re fighting for each other. I wanted to get Carney high and wide, one on one, that’s his strength, some may question why the right hand side but I wanted him to cut inside onto his left foot to create havoc and he did.”
David Carney said: “Brosquey went down the line and he found me great, I don’t know how he had the vision, and I just thought the defender was going to head it so I fell back, but he didn’t (head the ball) and it was only late that I brought it down and I was just happy it found the corner.
“The second one, I played Rhyan Grant and I don’t think he expected for me to play it to him but he showed great vision and he does it often, to cut back and I knew he had it in his locker and again I’m happy it went in. I thought since we got the equaliser we deserved to win because we had more hunger than them.
“I want to win things, I’ve had a taste of it before, I want to win the trophy and we’ve got the team and everything about this club to do that. It’s only early days but I think we’ve got something special with this team.”
Captain Alex Brosque said: “The triumph over Melbourne Victory was the test of character they needed and the A-League leaders' most valuable win yet.
Brosque is also backing referee Chris Beath for letting Saturday's eventful contest flow at Allianz Stadium.
The Sky Blues win offered up plenty of controversy too:
David Carney's arm was accidentally hit by the ball just before he netted the equalizer - but then the winner fortunately took the spotlight but there were other moments that could have gone either way.
There was the highly contentious call when referee Chris Beath awarded a penalty to Melbourne Victory for which replays identify a blatant dive by the Victory player. Fortunately the football gods were smiling at the refereeing faux pas and the penalty was sprayed wide and high.
Also early in the second half there was a sickening collision when Sydney FC defender Michael Zullo smashed head first into an ill placed officials table on the sideline.
Brosque also copped a yellow card for his sliding tackle on Leigh Broxham.
Alex Brosque stated: "Victory benefited from the officiating, suggesting Victory received a soft penalty - though he could hardly believe Besart Berisha's wild miss.
"The penalty for me, they say he (Holosko) was holding his (Berisha's) shirt but again, there's players holding shirts all the time," Brosque said.
"Because he goes down it's a penalty.
"There were a couple of decisions that went for us, a couple that went against us.
"I think Chris (Beath – referee) did well. There were some tough ones.
"I didn't see Carney's handball either until I saw the replay."
"It's the first time we've been behind this year, the first time we've had to show a bit of fight," Brosque said.
"We read a lot of stuff in the media this week that we hadn't beaten them in nine games and in the first half the way we played wasn't great.
"But even 1-0 down I always felt we could come back."
However the fallout from Michael Zullo’s clash with the officials table has to be looked into.
The fourth official's table being placed on the sideline is unnecessary. It’s a miracle How Michael Zullo narrowly avoided a serious head injury when he crashed into the equipment against Melbourne Victory on Saturday night. The table is there just to hold the electronic board used by the fourth official for substitutions and time added on.
Michael Zullo crashes head first into table
An aerial challenge went wrong leaving the Australian international requiring treatment after his head crashed into the side of the table narrowly missing making contact with his eye, temple or the back of the neck. Zullo was seemingly centimetres from serious injury.
In Summation: Congratulations to the Players / Staff / Fans and Followers on the Club's outstanding start to the 2016/17 season