Sydney FC too powerful in Big Blue against Melbourne Victory

Sydney FC consolidated their hold on top spot in the A-League with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Melbourne Victory.

Sydney striker Adam Le Fondre scores his side’s opening goal against Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park. Picture: Getty Images

Sydney FC consolidated their hold on top spot in the A-League with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park.

Adam Le Fondre opened the scoring in the 27th minute, then set up ex-Victory forward Kosta Barbarouses to double the lead in the 53rd. Alexander Baumjohann rounded out Friday’s win in the 85th minute.

The Sky Blues’ win was soured by a late red card to Baumjohann, while Victory’s Leigh Broxham was also sent off.

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Victory were unable to call on new signing Marco Rojas, as the winger’s international clearance didn’t come through in time to name him in their team, but skipper Ola Toivonen returned to their starting line-up.

Victory’s Ben Carrigan made his A-League starting debut at centre back, while for Sydney FC, Rhyan Grant and Luke Brattan returned from suspension.

Toivonen, Migjen Basha and Andrew Nabbout all struck shots straight at Sydney goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne in the opening 13 minutes, and Victory would come to rue their failure to convert those opportunities.

Baumjohann set up Sydney’s opener, collecting the ball on the rebound before he beat two opponents before enabling Le Fondre to tap home past Lawrence Thomas.

The goalkeeper arguably kept Victory in the game in the first half, producing a superb save to save Brattan’s free kick in the 34th minute before also leaping to deny Milos Ninkovic in the 42nd.

Victory had a golden chance to equalise in the 45th minute after a clever build- up from Elvis Kamsoba and Adama Traore, but Robbie Kruse’s tame shot left Redmayne with little work to do.

The hosts also spurned another gilt-edged opportunity in the 49th minute.

Kruse was released down the left wing and sent a delightful cross to Toivonen at the back post, but the Swedish international powered his header over the bar. Sydney made it 2-0 just four minutes later.

Le Fondre found Baumjohann, who worked the ball back to the striker to tee up Barbarouses, who slid between the Victory defenders to poke home against his former club.

The Sky Blues rarely looked troubled from there, and made it 3-0 five minutes before the end of regulation.

Luke Ivanovic found Milos Ninkovic, who swept the ball across goal for Baumjohann to power home.

The contest ended tetchily in added time when Broxham dragged down Baumjohann, who then caught the Victory defender in the face.

Broxham received his second yellow card, while Baumjohann was handed a straight red.

Meanwhile, Socceroos midfielder Aaron Mooy has joined Brighton & Hove Albion permanently from Championship club Huddersfield Town for an undisclosed fee. The 29-year-old has signed a three-and-a-half year contract, reported to be worth about £5m ($9.6m), after impressing during an initial loan spell during the first half of this Premier League season.

“I’m delighted, I’ve been really enjoying my time with the club so far and my family are settled too, which is very important for me,” Mooy told the club website.

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