By Emma Kemp
Sydney FC have corrected a slight wobble in their A-League season with a 2-0 defeat of depleted battlers Newcastle, but will have to raise the bar further against Melbourne City next weekend.
Two second-half moments of brilliance from Milos Ninkovic and substitute Bernie Ibini ensured the Sky Blues remained unbeaten and extended their lead at the top of the table to six points. Both sides had a woeful number of turnovers but the injury-ravaged Jets, who have now added Ben Kantarovski (knee) to their ever-growing treatment table, are now winless in seven games.
Mark Jones' side showed promise on the counter-attack and Andrew Hoole found space on the right flank, but the former Sky Blues winger was too often without support for it to manifest into anything meaningful.
Sydney coach Graham Arnold had clearly hoped a shake-up to his starting XI would be the difference following two draws and Wednesday's FFA Cup final loss.
Bernie Ibini-Isei of Sydney FC celebrates a goal during the round nine A-League match between the Newcastle Jets and Sydney FC.Credit: Getty Images
Four changes is the most Arnold has made all campaign and it was telling two of the victims were marquees Bobo and Filip Holosko, who've struggled to maintain their searing early-season form. Skipper Alex Brosque, David Carney and youngster George Blackwood led the attack but none of that trio shone.
Main man: Milos Ninkovic has been in superb form for Sydney FC.Credit: Getty Images
First-time starter Milos Dimitrijevic was arguably Sydney's strongest performer despite having played just 12 minutes of A-League football this season.
Dimitrijevic delivered a lovely through ball for Brosque early on and laid off the pass for Ninkovic's 63rd-minute goal, though could not take credit for the marauding solo effort of his fellow Serb, who eased past three defenders and drilled home his fifth goal of the season.
As Arnold started to ring the changes more began to happen, and Ibini's introduction proved the most fruitful. Running out of space just wide of the penalty area, the 24-year-old used some slick footwork to weave around two Jets defenders before beating another and making two attempts at Jack Duncan's goal, the second nestling into the corner.
Meanwhile, Melbourne City coach John van 't Schip lashed Brisbane Roar counterpart John Aloisi for hypocrisy over City's alleged play-acting after Jade North took a dive in an attempt to attract a booking for City star Bruno Fornaroli. "A coach accusing us of diving ... and having a player like North doing that," he said. "He tried to get Bruno sent off and in the end they got punished."
AAP