Sydney FC 1-2 Newcastle Jets
by Kieran Yap (14/12/24).
Above: Indiana dos Santos shields the ball. Photo: Sydney FC
Newcastle Jets have recorded a remarkable win over Sydney FC despite being a player and a goal down for most of the game.
Indiana Dos Santos’s first-half strike was cancelled out by two late goals by Deven Jackson and Lauren Allan after Sydney FC were unable to capitalise on their numerical advantage.
A draw would have been bad enough for the reigning champions, but a defeat leaves almost too many questions to answer. On the day when Princess Ibini celebrated a games record for the club and Millie Farrow was brought into the starting XI, there should probably have been more to celebrate.
Things looked positive for the hosts when Newcastle were down to 10 players in the 12th minute. Danielle Krzyzaniak charged off her line to preemptively snuff out an opportunity in needless and reckless fashion and was shown her second immediate red card of the season for the same error.
Sydney FC took the lead through Indiana Dos Santos in the 22nd minute. The Young Matildas playmaker received the ball after a Jets turnover and lashed the ball into the roof of the net from an acute angle.
Mille Farrow looked dangerous when in space. The former Perth Glory striker was able to run at the Jets defence through the middle and fizzed an effort over the bar from range. Mackenzie Hawkesby and Ibini also attempted to test Tiahna Robertson who had taken over in the Jets goal.
Sydney FC perhaps inspired by Robertson’s relatively undersized stature continued long range attempts, which was curious given the enjoyed the majority of possession. Although it must be tempting to assume Robertson can be easily beaten from distance, she surely has learned how to deal with those types of efforts to get this far in her career.
As the game wore on, both sides emptied their benches. Sydney FC were in search of a sealer, and Newcastle Jets were surging for an equaliser. Despite the fresh legs for the home side, they were still unable to kill the game off. Ibini came closest with a diving header that flashed over an open goal. When The Jets brought Lauren Allan into the contest, it changed the momentum for good.
Allan was tricky, aggressive, and creative on both wings for Newcastle. Her experience and mobility would be the difference between a draw and defeat, and between a draw and a win.
Tash Prior almost equalised when her header bounced off the crossbar. The recently capped Matilda kept the chance alive, but her cross floated harmlessly across goal.
Allan kept the ball in play, created some space after a stepover, and whipped the ball in off her trusty right foot. The inswinger was met by the lunging and somehow unmarked Deven Jackson and the Jets were 1-1 in the 86th minute.
Sydney struggled to wrestle control back in the remaining minutes and looked the more panicky of the sides, despite both being urgent in their play. Allan scored the winner in the 95th minute to send to visiting bench into raptures.
Although Newcastle deserve all the plaudits, much of the discussion will be around Sydney FC after this loss. They have scored just five goals in six matches, but with the exception of a winner against Western Sydney, their goals come from opposition errors rather than the smooth buildups fans have become accustomed to.
In defence, they also have issues. How Jackson was allowed to be unmarked six yards from goal despite the Jets being a player down is likely down to individual errors, but small errors have added up this season to four points in total so far this season.
Sydney are hesitant in attack and disorganized in defence. They are reliant on moments of individual quality. Some magic from Dos Santos or a tackle from Tumeth does not make a championship team.
There is still time to turn it around and the quality in the squad to do it, but this is more than a slump. The gap between their best and worst football is very small and not in a good way.
This win was a showcase for Newcastle’s team spirit and a surprising level of depth in Ryan Campbell’s squad. Allan is a club legend but could be brought off the bench, Libby Copus-Brown and Gia Vicari could also add spark and experience late in the game.
As always, the Jets’ best qualities are out wide, but they have genuine game-changers in the team, who delivered when called upon.
The only real question Campbell has to deal with right now is should Robertson be the first-choice keeper?
Both of Krzyzaniak’s red cards this season were very avoidable. The types of incidences where it would have been easier to do nothing instead of a diving handball 30 yards from goal, or a needless challenge when the defender was still in position to deal with it.
Robertson is small for a goalkeeper but did not put a foot wrong today, and although teams seem to think they can beat her with long, high shots, she seems able to position herself well enough to deal with them.
By virtue of her suspension, that will be a question Campbell will not have to answer immediately, and for now, the Jets can rightfully celebrate a remarkable and deserved win.
To view Ryan Miller-Woods’ photo gallery from the game for Impetus, check out our Instagram page @ImpetusFootball
Teams: SYDNEY FC (4-3-3): Franco, Tumeth, Thompson, Tobin, Lemon, Caspers, Hollman, Hawkesby, dos Santos, Farrow, Ibini. Substitutes: Chauvet, Bryson, Connors, Luchtmeijer, Edwards.
Scorers: dos Santos 22’.
NEWCASTLE JETS (4-3-3): Krzyzaniak, Cicco, Prior, Davis, Baumann, Hoban, Dundas, Jackson, Allan, Gallagher, Breier. Substitutes: Rolley, Copus-Brown, Allan, Vicari, Robertson.
Scorers: Jackson 86’, Allan 90+5’.
Referee: Caitlin Williams.
Attendance: 3,533.
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