Harbas Stunner Not Enough as Sydney United Win It in the 94th Minute
There was a goal to remember and a finish to forget at Seymour Shaw on Saturday. Alen Harbas's free kick from around 40 yards brought us level early in the second half, but Sydney United 58 FC scrambled a winner with virtually the last kick of the game to take all three points in Round 3 of the Australian Championship.
A lively first half
Sydney United made the brighter start and had the first sight of goal inside a minute: a loose ball fell to their winger, and his cross flashed across the face of our goal with nobody there to turn it in.
We answered quickly. In the seventh minute Asahi Yokokawa found himself with a half-open goal, and on another day that is the opener. This time his effort went wide, and the visitors had a big let-off.
They made us pay in the 23rd minute. Their right winger collected the ball, drove into the box and cut inside before finishing clinically at the near post. United saw more of the ball for the rest of the half, but the boys stayed in the contest and went into the break only a goal behind.
From 40 yards
We came out for the second half with renewed purpose, and in the 52nd minute we got our reward. With a free kick around 40 yards out, Alen Harbas stood over the ball, looked up at the goal and sent it beyond the goalkeeper.
…a strike that will be remembered as one of the goals of the competition.
A cruel finish
With the scores level, both sides pushed for a winner. Clear chances were hard to come by, but as the clock ran down we were the side asking the questions, with more of the ball and Sydney United pinned back.
The visitors had a golden chance of their own in the 92nd minute and couldn't take it. Two minutes later they didn't need to: a goalmouth scramble ended with their substitute bundling the ball over the line, and the travelling supporters had their celebration.
It was a cruel way to lose a game we had fought our way back into, and the boys will take a lot from the second half into the rest of the campaign.
Thank you, Seymour Shaw
Thank you to everyone who filled the John Hills Grandstand and Smithy's on Saturday afternoon. You were with us from the first whistle to the last, and the boys felt every bit of it.
Next up, we travel to Melbourne to face South Melbourne at Lakeside Stadium on Saturday 7 Nov, 7:30pm, live on SBS On Demand. Then we're home again against Canberra Croatia on Sunday 15 Nov, 3pm kick-off. Let's go Sharks.