| PHOTO: Jim Webster |
There were plenty of goals in Round 12 of the National Youth League (NYL) as there were wins for the Melbourne Heart, Sydney FC, Adelaide United, Perth Glory and the Melbourne Victory who smashed the leaders, the Central Coast Mariners.
Sydney FC have claimed city bragging rights after defeating arch rivals the Western Sydney Wanderers 4-1 at Cromer Park on Saturday morning.
Mitch Mallia got the Sky Blues off to a great start simply finishing on the rebound after just 10 minutes.
Jared Lum then doubled Sydney’s lead from the spot after Wanderers ‘keeper Aaron Liddell fouled Mallia inside the box.
Western Sydney, though, did fight their way back into the game, although only briefly, as Zac Elrich outpaced the Sydney defence and neatly finished into the bottom corner.
Mallia secured the three points with his second pouncing on a poor back pass before slotting into an empty net.
Then Terry Antonis added a fourth with three minutes left.
On Sunday morning Perth Glory and the Newcastle Jets played out a thrilling contest that finished 6-4 in favour of the Glory.
Chris Harold opened the scoring from the spot on 10 minutes after Harry O’Brien was fouled by Jets ‘keeper Ben Kennedy.
But Bernardo Ribeiro thrashed a strike into the top corner three minutes later to equalize for the Jets.
Just after the half-hour mark Marko Jesic gave Newcastle the lead with a quick fire double with two low finishes from the edge of the box.
However after the break Perth fought back as Jack Glisby stunned the Jets with a brilliant free kick.
After the hour Borbor Sam terrifically curled into the net moments after coming on to make it 3-3.
With the momentum Perth took the lead as Riley Woodcock’s effort drifted over ‘Jets substitute ‘keeper Nicholas Harnett.
Adrian Zahra secured the points heading home, before Moses Kalau poked the sixth to make it 6-3.
Jesic though was given the opportunity to complete his hat trick from the spot and did just that with two minutes left on the clock.
In Canberra the Melbourne Heart defeated the AIS 3-1 thanks to goals from Ben Garuccio, Josh Groenewald and Nicholas Epifano.
Garuccio, a Young Socceroo, hit Heart’s first emphatically finishing at the back post after 37 minutes.
With twenty minutes left Groenewald’s diving header hit the back of the net after the ball cannoned off the crossbar.
But three minutes after scoring their second, the Heart conceded as Liam Rose slid his finish past Heart ‘keeper Chris Maynard.
However the Red and White hit back soon after through Epifano who finished nicely after some poor AIS marking.
In Melbourne the Melbourne Victory demolished the table topping Central Coast Mariners 8-1 at SS Anderson Reserve.
Melbourne got to a stunning start and took a massive seven-goal lead after just 39 minutes.
Jimmy Jeggo slotted into the bottom corner past Mariners ‘keeper David Bradasevic after just 19 seconds, before Andrew Nabbout tapped in from a neat John Buceto cutback.
Buceto capped off his sensational start with the third with an emphatic finish, before Luke O’Dea added the fourth coolly slotting past Bradasevic.
The Victory were rewarded with their fifth as a super Nabbout cross was smashed home on the half volley by Pain.
Nabbout sent in another quality cross picking out O’Dea who turned in the sixth completing his double on 30 minutes.
Central Coast couldn’t keep the ball either, as Jimmy Jeggo won the ball back in midfield and thumped his strike into the bottom.
Chris Cristaldo added an eighth after the break at the back post, before Mitchell Duke scored a late consolidation for the visitors after rounding Victory ‘keeper Luke Radonich.
Adelaide United eased past Brisbane Roar with a 3-0 win thanks to a brace to Sergio van Dijk.
After squandering their chances the Reds finally took the lead on 30 minutes as van Dijk simply finished from a goalmouth scramble.
The Dutchman doubled the lead and completed his brace seconds later turning in on the half-volley.
Jacob Melling then secured the three points with six minutes left firing in the third after his initial effort was saved.
