PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEKEND - SYDNEY FC

We’ve known for the past five rounds that Sydney have something special to give this season but their performances over the past three weeks were lacking slightly. Barely scraping past Wellington, and conceding their first goal of the season against Victory last weekend, Sydney were out to deliver big time and they did just that.

Perth started the stronger team but Sydney held out well, with Danny Vukovic determined to keep yet another clean sheet this season. Milos Ninkovic opened the scoring for Sydney, pouncing on an error before finishing easily inches from the goal-line.

Alex Brosque then set up Ninkovic again after a brilliant run, but the Serb was selfless in front of goal, calmly slotting the ball to his right where Bobo was waiting. This play perfectly epitomised Sydney FC this season, with individual brilliance combining with selflessness to form an excellent team effort.

Perth looked to push back and found the back of Sydney’s net off a deflected Joseph Mills cross. Whilst they looked like they may have brought the fight to Sydney, they were unable to find that crucial second goal.

Sydney capitalised with 11 minutes to go in a superb counter-attacking move that saw a David Carney shot hit the cross bar before Ninkovic finished inside the six-yard box. Another counter-attack nine minutes later saw Alex Brosque give Sydney their 17th goal of the season.

The score line may read as a poor performance for Perth but they certainly had their chances. What it does reflect is Sydney’s excellent form. They are so dangerous in attack and even a team like Perth, who had a draw within their fingertips, were unable to capitalise.

It was an exceptional performance for Sydney and it’s by no means a solo effort. The goals they’ve scored have been shared across the park. Their 17 goals have been scored by six separate players and their counter-attacking football has left many teams with questions to answer. They have broken the record for most goals scored in the opening six rounds of an A-League season and have a goal difference 10 goals better than the next closest team.

With four goals against a reasonably strong opposition, Sydney FC certainly win the performance of the weekend.

PLAYER OF THE WEEKEND - MILOS NINKOVIC

Having just won the PFA’s A-League Player of the Month earlier in the week, Ninkovic backed up big time. Already one of the players of the season so far, he has been an attacking maestro for Sydney FC. This weekend certainly helped his chances of winning the Johnny Warren Medal.

Many punters were saying at the start of the season that Ninkovic was a disappointment last season and yet to show his best for Sydney, and they were right. Having been the subject of interest for a Qatari club, Sydney will be glad he has stayed.

Opening the scoring for Sydney, Ninkovic capitalised on an error in a way most players wouldn’t have been able to. His composure to slot the ball past one of the most experienced goalkeepers in the A-League and finish in such a cool manner was exceptional.

He backed that up with a great assist off the back of some excellent work by Alex Brosque. While most players may have taken the shot, he slotted the ball to Bobo in the centre who finished into an open net.

His second goal of the game saw him simply in the right place at the right time after David Carney’s shot stung the crossbar. His ability to control and finish the ball was something special.

He may not have played a major part in the final goal but at that point in the game, he had well and truly done his part for the team.

He was an integral part of a fantastic performance for Sydney FC and had possibly his best game of the season so far. His ability to get into strong attacking positions, dribbling, composure, finishing and selflessness contributed to an excellent all-round performance.

Sydney have had a huge start to the season and sit six points ahead of second now, thanks largely in part to Ninkovic. Already in stellar form this season, he could not have had a better game. He is player of the weekend and has started his campaign for November’s player of the season excellently.

GOAL OF THE WEEKEND - BRUNO FORNAROLI'S SECOND

One word: Wow! We all know Bruno Fornaroli is something special but he showed his pedigree with second goal against Newcastle Jets. With goals like these, it’s a shame that this effort was witnessed by one of the lowest attendances of the season.

The initial effort by Bruce Kamau to set up the effort should be applauded almost as much as the finish. After shaking off his defender, he unleashed a beautiful cross that found Fornaroli with pinpoint accuracy.

Fornaroli didn’t need two touches, smacking it perfectly first time, pushing it past Jack Duncan who was simply helpless on the line. Most other strikers, particularly in the A-League, may have blasted the same ball well over the cross bar, but the touch of Fornaroli was something special.

Fornaroli has become one of the biggest names in the A-League after just one season and it’s because of goals like this. He has an instinct for goal and that was clearly demonstrated with this goal, drifting into space to meet the cross of Kamau.

The goal was not only beautiful, it was important. With the goal just enough for Melbourne City to win against the Newcastle Jets, City now sits in second position behind Sydney FC.

FLOP OF THE WEEKEND - CENTRAL COAST MARINERS

This is a hard one to pick and maybe it’s even cruel to pick on Central Coast, but with only two shots on goal against a team without five key players is as close to a flop as you can get really. Perhaps the Mariners have been victims of a poor draw with only one of their first six games being played in Gosford, their home ground.

The Mariners were running high on the adrenaline from last week when they secured their first win since January but couldn’t turn that into any result. An injury to Scott Galloway might have set the tone for the Mariners as they were forced to replace him early inside the first half.

The Mariners failed to create anything meaningful inside the first half and whilst they went into the break without conceding, it didn’t take very long for that to change.

Wellington broke the deadlock four minutes into second half with Roy Krishna catching the defence flat footed before rounding Paul Izzo and tucking the ball home. Just seven minutes later, Krishna turned provider, squaring the ball to Hamish Watson who finished into an empty goal.

The Mariners were caught napping early in the second half and even after pushing forward late, they were unable to score a goal. We’ve seen the team playing very different football this season but this game felt more like last season’s team. After such a big step forward last week, it’s poor to see them take such a backward step this week.

Central Coast have a lot to answer for after this result. Wellington are by no means a poor team, but playing with a depleted squad away from home puts any team at an instant disadvantage. They had every chance going into the game but they might as well have stayed in the dressing rooms.

The flop of the weekend was capped off when Jacques Faty was forced to play the last 17 minutes of the match injured due to their substitutions being exhausted. Let’s hope the new Central Coast is back next week.