St George FC record first win of the season over high flying Sydney ...
St George FC registered its first official victory of the 2024 National Premier Leagues Men’s NSW campaign with a 2-1 win over Sydney FC who suffered its first loss of the year at the Ilinden Sports Centre on Saturday.
The crowd was given two first half goals, firstly through seasoned campaigner and skipper Troy Danaskos, the home sides first of the season, followed by a scrambled effort forced home via Nicholas Kalogerou with Marin France netting a late consolation for the Blues.
Danaskos remained cool headed when firing across ‘keeper Alex Zaverdinos and in at the right post followed by a goalmouth melee that finally had Kalogerou awarded the strike when the ball was deemed to have crossed the line.
Marin France pulled back a consolation goal for Sydney FC late on but it proved too little too late on the night.
It was no more than the Reds deserved for their endeavour and sprung the match into life in what had been a pretty even game until the opening strike.
As expected, Sydney FC were quick to pounce on any loose balls and mounting a rapid counter-attack but neither ‘keeper was tested in the early stages before Connor Quiligan stung the palms of Zaverdinos in the 7th minute for the home side.
It was entertaining football, strong tackles, good movement and passing with only the moments of goalmouth incident lacking but that changed when Tiago Quintal fashioned an effort for himself – but the Sydney FC number 10 could only fire a left-footed shot straight at Daniel Axford from the edge of the area. This was until Danaskos netted the opening goal, and St George’s first of the season, in the 19th minute with little aplomb placing the ball across the body of Zaverdinos and in at the far post.
The home side had been resilient at the back and shaded the better of the midfield exchanges thus far however FC responded with a delightful free-kick, taken by Quintal, that arched over the wall but into the hands of Axford with 25 minutes on the clock. Indeed, the visitors struggled to break through the St George defence and didn’t have an effort from inside the box.
And the lead was doubled in the 35th minute through Kalogerou who got the last touch at the back stick when scrambling the ball over the line to send the home support into raptures.
Great work from Caio De Godoy at the back denied Quintal and his dancing feet when cleanly taking the ball from his toes before the Sydney FC striker could turn and fire goalward in the 41st minute in a sensational piece of defending.
St George started the second-half with a ‘fluid 5’ at the back, a clever ploy in holding on to what they had but led to their losing a little in midfield, an area in which they had been the better in the opening stanza, allowing Sydney FC to push further numbers forward and higher up the pitch. It was understandable but risky.
Axford palmed a free-kick over the bar almost immediately as most of the play was now in his half of the field and his side were finding it difficult to break forward.
Jesse Spang cut the ball in from the right to Kalogerou whose first-time centre was taken off the toes of Connor Quiligan. It proved his last moment of the game and was replaced by Harry Jones for the home side.
Sydney FC substitute Jai Rose, on for Bailey Callaghan, came close but fizzed a shot wide of the woodwork in the 65th minute as the youthful Blues tried to force their way back into the match.
Peter Grozos fired a stunning left-footer goalward from 25-yards out in reply that curled in the wind and almost wrong-footed Zaverdinos in the Sydney goal who needed two attempts to gather the ball. Had it gone in the Reds’ fullback would have been elated but questions would have been asked about the hapless gloveman.
When St George were able to break out, they were incisive going forward and thought they had a third when substitute Nikola Skataric hit the bar from a free-kick in the 78th minute.
Marin France pulled one back a minute when his deflected shot looped over Axford to halve the deficit and the game hung in the balance once more and made for a very nervy ending, the momentum now firmly with Sydney FC.
Axford pulled off another couple of important saves as his side were beginning to feel the heat and the defence were showing signs of a little panic setting in but they held firm to record their first win of the season over the high flying Sydney FC leaving coach, Jane Talcevski, to state at the whistle.
“There’s a lot of improvement in this squad,” he said before continuing.
“There’s a number of players that need to reach full fitness.
“Some, who missed the majority of pre-season, and it was noticeable around some of the actions tonight.
“That said I feel we demonstrated what we are about, our character, personality and our style; however, we were facing a very good Sydney FC team that has some fantastic young players in the side.
“We changed things after the break, and it came down to player availability. We’re still nursing players who are not fully match fit so we’re making substitutions on the available minutes so it’s a consequence of the course of the match, player fatigue and so on.
“Overall it was a good performance tonight and we’re happy with the three points and now get ready for our Wednesday night fixture here against Rockdale Ilinden.”
A philosophical Jim Van Weeren, who lost players Nathan Amanatidis, Mitchell Glasson, Matthew Scarcella and Adam Pavlesic to Steve Corica’s A-League side who went on to beat the Western Sydney Wanderers 4-1, was upbeat despite the loss.
“St George have a very organised structure and came with a game plan to hurt us in transition and they did that well tonight,” he said.
“Our playing style tonight was exciting and from a very young group of players to deliver that type of football was good, but I think for us it needs to be about reducing our own errors which led to their goals and then converting more of the chances we create.
“For us it’s a week-by-week process, our squad changes every week so it’s always an opportunity for players to come in and showcase what they can do and our performances in these opening rounds has been very positive so we’re very happy overall.”
Match Stats
St George FC 2 (Troy Danaskos 19’, Nicholas Kalogerou 35’)
Sydney FC 1 (Marin France 79’)
Ilinden Sports Centre, Rockdale
Saturday, 2nd March 2024
Referee: Jeh Coutinho
Assistants: Matthew Harris and Jackson Trippet
Fourth Official: Jackson Mackie
ST George FC: 20. Daniel Axford, 2. Ciao De Godoy, 3. Troy Danaskos, 5.Nicholas Kalogerou, 6. Pat O’Shea, 7. Jesse Spang (19. Nikola Skataric 69’), 8. Connor Quiligan (10. Harry Jones 60’), 9. Peter Grozos (30. Justin Poon 69’), 18. Mark Rodic, 23. Evan Souris (15. Mitch Heapy 88’), 27. Jayden Seeto
Subs not used: 1. Andrew Di Blasio, 11. Anthony Morabito
Yellow Cards: 9. Peter Grozos 31’, Nicholas Kalogerou 65’, Nikola Skataris 87’
Red Cards: Nil
Sydney FC: 40. Alex Zaverdinos, 2. Noah Mathie, 3. Tyler Williams, 4. Joseph Calusic, 5. Richard Nkomo (15. Max Burrato 82’’), 6. Dylan Rose (17. Ayouk Edward-Mo 74’), 8. Lachlan Middleton, 9. Bailey Callaghan (35. Jai Rose 60’), 10. Tiago Quintal, 11. Marin France, 13. Jacob Brazete (32. Samuel Lancaster 74’)
Subs not used: 14. Jared Middleton, 20. Sean Suzuki
Yellow Cards: Lachlan Middleton 59’, Tyler Williams 76’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings
3 – Nichola Kalogerou (STGFC)
2 – Troy Danaskos (STGFC)
1 – Marin France (SFC)
By NPL NSW Men’s Reporter Micky Brock
