Sydney FC’s hopes of back-to-back A-League premierships are fading fast after a second-half penalty helped Adelaide United claim a 1-0 win on Sunday.
Former skipper Mitch Duke scored a brilliant brace as Western Sydney Wanderers notched their third consecutive A-League win with a dominant 3-0 victory over Perth Glory.
Andrew Redmayne made his third big blunder of the season,but a second-half comeback from the Sky Blues ensured it wasn’t the moment that defined Saturday’s match.
Melbourne City has made it four wins on the spin with a 3-0 victory over A-League new boys Macarthur to go into second place on the table.
The Socceroo celebrated his 200th A-League game with a goal that essentially sealed all three points for the reigning champions on Wednesday night.
Former Premier League midfielder Jordon Mutch scored his first A-League goal as Western Sydney snapped a three-game winless run with a 1-0 victory over Western United.
The 36-year-old Brazilian salvaged a point for Sydney but the aura of invincibility that once used to carry the champions through matches has evaporated.
City overcame the loss of two key imports - one in the warm-up - and the absence of coach Patrick Kisnorbo to notch an impressive victory.
The absence of departed star Adam Le Fondre and the failure to adequately replace his output was keenly felt once more by the A-League champions on Sunday.
Mohamed Toure,16,scored his third goal of the season for Adelaide to kill off hope of a late Western Sydney comeback.
Two goals in the space of six minutes in the second half weren’t enough to spark the Wanderers against a depleted Wellington Phoenix on Sunday.