Sydney FC unbeaten in A-League, Victory take Melbourne derby
SYDNEY (AP) — Sydney FC stayed unbeaten in the A-League, coming from behind to beat Perth Glory 4-1 and increase its lead to seven points on Saturday.
After Adam Taggart put Perth in front early, Alex Brosque equalized a minute later and Sydney took over in the second half with goals to Filip Holosko and Bobo. A Bernie Ibini penalty finished the scoring a minute into added time and gave the league leaders their eighth win in 11 matches.
"We started a little bit slow and Perth changed their system with a back three, five in midfield, and two up front. That caught us a little bit on the hop until I could fix it," Sydney coach Graham Arnold said. "Once I got them in at halftime we started to execute well and that was how the game panned out."
In other Round 11 matches:
MELBOURNE CITY 1, MELBOURNE VICTORY 2
Besart Berisha scored the winner in the 78th minute, his 90th in the A-League to equal Archie Thompson as the all-time scoring leader. Socceroo veteran Tim Cahill gaven City the lead in the 16th but Marco Rojas equalized for the Victory eight minutes later.
The goal was Berisha's eighth in Melbourne derbies, a record.
The win moved the Victory into second place, two points clear of their Melbourne rivals.
CENTRAL COAST 1, BRISBANE 2
Jamie Maclaren scored the winner in the 76th minute on Sunday to move the Roar into third place, level on competition points with the Victory, but behind on goal difference.
Dimitri Petratos's free kick gave Brisbane, unbeaten in nine matches, a 1-0 lead in the 33rd minute before Roy O'Donovan leveled for Central Coast in the 57th.
NEWCASTLE 2, ADELAIDE 1
Danish attacker Morten Nordstrand scored in the fourth minute of added time to give Newcastle the win.
Substitute Nordstrand, in his first game back from an injury, added to Andrew Nabbout's first-half opener and helped cancel out Jack Duncan's goalkeeping blunder.
In the 68th minute, Isaias curled in a free kick. Attempting a two-fisted clearance on the slippery surface, Duncan instead punched the ball into the ground and then his own net, handing Adelaide its only goal.
"It wasn't his greatest moment this year, but he's saved more than he's let in," Newcastle coach Mark Jones said of Duncan.
WELLINGTON 2, WESTERN SYDNEY 2
The home side fell behind early when Western Sydney's Brendon Santalab scored in the 20th, then the Phoenix were down 2-0 when Mitch Nichols scored in the 56th. But Guilherme Finkler, on a penalty kick, and Roy Krishna, in the 68th, gave Wellington the draw.
