SYDNEY opened their Pan Pacific Championship campaign with a dismal match against MLS side Houston Dynamo in Hawaii. Relive the inept ordeal with our LIVE commentary.
Aloha from the Aloha stadium in downtown Honolulu. Aidan Ormond here...
SYDNEY FC versus HOUSTON DYNAMO
Sydney FC starting line up has just been announced
Bolton
Fyfe
Walsh
Popovic
Renaud
Corica
Brosque
McFlynn
Robertson
Santalab
Vidaic
Subs: Necevski, Tsattalios, Timpano, Patrick, Biddle
*the game kicks off shortly... just got back from Beckham press conference: he said Galaxy "were terrible" in first 15 minutes but got better.
5: Houston has dominated the first five minutes of play without creating much
8: Houston shot from outside box over bar
9: Vidaic should have scored! Cut inside and shot from inside the box but Onstad saves then Santalab blasts over the rebound
10: Defensive mix up almost gifts Houston a goal but Bolton clears after Popovic gets into a mix up Sydney clear corner
12: Houston almost score: shot from wide is flicked on low but goes just wide. An entertaining opening stanza in front of about 8,000 fans.
14: Lovely cross from wide left and Walsh heads away for corner. Sydney clear corner
15: Another cross from wide by Houston but Ching just fails to get any power on header and Bolton collects. Dynamo dominating as Sydney are looking vulnerable wide
16: Renaud gifts possession and Sydney cough up a free 30 yards out. Houston look well organised and pacy.
17: Another great cross from wide left has the Sydney defence scrambling to clear.
18: Stinging 30 yard strike from Houston's De Rosario hits bar with Bolton beaten
19: Houston look confident as FC appear slow to adjust to the astro turf.
20: Brosque breaks clear but his low shot from just outside box fails to trouble keeper.
21: Another Houston move this time finds Ching but his low shot is easily stopped. Dynamo are playing down both flanks effectively.
22: Long ball from Renaud finds Corica running into the channel but just fails to reach ball "in the end-zone" and goes out for goal kick
23: Patient build up by Sydney breaks down and wide Houston break but cross is cleared. It's all down the flanks where Sydney is struggling to hold the pacy Dynamo.
25: Vidaic gets his head onto a cross but from outside the box never going to trouble Onstad in Dynamo goal.
26: GOAL TO HOUSTON. A BRILLIANT POWER STRIKE FROM DEL ROSARIO JUST OUTSIDE THE BOX AND BOLTON HAS NO CHANCE. DYNAMO DESERVEDLY UP 1-0.
SYDNEY 0 HOUSTON 1
27: SYDNEY IN DISARRAY AS HOUSTON SCORE AGAIN! STUART HOLDEN SCORES AFTER DEFENCE FAILS TO CLEAR ATTACK. SYDNEY 0 HOUSTON 2
30: And it should've been 3-0 but for an awful finish by Houston as Sydney's defending is all over the shop. it's started to rain slightly which should make the pitch even quicker.
32: They've posted the crowd at 15,000 but it looks around half that.
34: Brosque gives away free inside Houston half. Sydney warming up all subs.
36: Sydney look totally outclassed. Houston look sharper, have more cutting edge and are attacking down the flanks very well.
37: Lovely move from Sydney finds Santalab who bursts clear but his shot from the edge of D hits a trailing leg and just goes over. From corner, Santa finds ball at far post but heads over.
39: Another cross from wide gets whipped in as Sydney just clear. Young Ryan Walsh is having a torrid time.
40: McFlynn bursts clear down right but mis-times his shot and it goes over. It's been that sort of half for FC.
41: GOAL TO HOUSTON. 3-0. THIS IS EMBARRASSING. GREAT GOAL THOUGH AS HE BURST THROUGH AND POWERED HOME A DRIVE FROM OUTSIDE THE BOX.
SYDNEY 0 HOUSTON 3
44: Free to Houston just outside box. Blasted over.
45: HALF TIME: SYDNEY 0 HOUSTON 3
Analysis: Sydney was clearly second best. Down the flanks Walsh and Renaud have been fully tested. Houston looked very sharp and organised. The 3-0 scoreline is an accurate reflection of an appalling first half from Sydney - the worst I've seen. In front of a whole lot of international journalists, we look like amateurs.
Second half
45: Bolton off and Necevski on
46: Yellow card to Santalab by referee Alex Prus
51: Brosque wide gets cross in and after the ball clears Robertson gets a shot in but keeper saves. That's better.
53: Game has slowed down somewhat. Houston free wide right headed away and De Rosario's shot goes miles over.
54: Danger man De Rosario off for Brad Davis as Houston look to play this one out and conserve energy for final against Gamba Osaka.
59: Walsh and Corey Ashe clatter into each other with the FC defender going into the book for his trouble.
61: Dodgy offside to Houston after Wondolowski broke clear.
63: Free to Sydney but curling free punched clear by keeper.
64: Subs for Sydney: On Tsattalios and Biddle and off is Vidaic and Corica.
65: Necevski almost stuffs up a back pass from Poppa but Sydney clear. Houston still full of running. Stadium is emptying slowly. Very quiet crowd.
71: Chance for Biddle but he just fails to get on the end of a bouncing through ball and keeper punches clear. Poppa off for Timpano on. Santalab off for Patrick.
74: Houston look very comfortable as Sydney are just battling to save face. Good to see Timpano on for his first appearance in ages.
77: The stadium is close to empty now with around 3,000 now in the 50,000 seater. Necevski boots clear from outside his box as another ball through catches Sydney out.
BTW: there's a lovely view of Pearl Harbour from the stadium!
78: Walsh skinned wide by Mulrooney and his cross is cleared by Timpano for a throw
79: Patrick to Biddle on edge of box but his cross fails to find a blue shirt and the Orange shirted Houston defence clears.
81: Patrick looking lively as Houston take foot off pedal
84: Necevski boots Ustruck and the ball as another long ball gets over the lumbing FC defence.
85: Houston should've made it four but a covering defensive tackle gives away a corner.
88: Sydney just can't seem to make any inroads into a well organised defence.
FULL TIME SYDNEY O HOUSTON 3
ANALYSIS: In a word, appalling. The only consolation is they're playing the equally ordinary Galaxy on Saturday in a rematch of November's game. I'm off to Waikiki to get incredibly drunk... see you on Saturday.
FIRST GAME OF THE NIGHT: OSAKA V GALAXY
FINAL SCORE:
GAMBA OSAKA 1 LA GALAXY 0
Bare 3
Man of the match: Bare
The first game has kicked off between Gamba Osaka and LA Galaxy in front of around 7,000 fans.
The main news is the pitch. It's an artificial surface called FieldTurf and it's very quick.
Gamba is a class above Galaxy with Brazilian striker Bare looking very dangerous.
He's scored after just three minutes and should've easily had a second.
A few lovely cross field balls aside, Beckham's been quiet.
Gamba 1 Galaxy 0 after 22 minutes
And it should've been two nil after a beautiful ball from defence catching the appalling Galaxy defenders flat-footed.
Gamba 1 Galaxy 0 after 58 minutes
FINAL SCORE:
GAMBA OSAKA 1 LA GALAXY 0
Bare 3
Man of the match: Bare
To see Sydney train in Hawaii...
The match isn't televised in Australia so our exclusive minute by minute report from the stadium will be THE way to follow Sydney's fortunes in the game.
The game kicks off at 5.30pm Sydney-time so bookmark this page and keep up to date with us at au.fourfourtwo.com.
To see Sydney train in Hawaii...
SYDNEY FC versus HOUSTON DYNAMO
Sydney FC starting line up has just been announced
Bolton
Fyfe
Walsh
Popovic
Renaud
Corica
Brosque
McFlynn
Robertson
Santalab
Vidaic
Subs: Necevski, Tsattalios, Timpano, Patrick, Biddle
*the game kicks off shortly... just got back from Beckham press conference: he said Galaxy "were terrible" in first 15 minutes but got better.
5: Houston has dominated the first five minutes of play without creating much
8: Houston shot from outside box over bar
9: Vidaic should have scored! Cut inside and shot from inside the box but Onstad saves then Santalab blasts over the rebound
10: Defensive mix up almost gifts Houston a goal but Bolton clears after Popovic gets into a mix up Sydney clear corner
12: Houston almost score: shot from wide is flicked on low but goes just wide. An entertaining opening stanza in front of about 8,000 fans.
14: Lovely cross from wide left and Walsh heads away for corner. Sydney clear corner
15: Another cross from wide by Houston but Ching just fails to get any power on header and Bolton collects. Dynamo dominating as Sydney are looking vulnerable wide
16: Renaud gifts possession and Sydney cough up a free 30 yards out. Houston look well organised and pacy.
17: Another great cross from wide left has the Sydney defence scrambling to clear.
18: Stinging 30 yard strike from Houston's De Rosario hits bar with Bolton beaten
19: Houston look confident as FC appear slow to adjust to the astro turf.
20: Brosque breaks clear but his low shot from just outside box fails to trouble keeper.
21: Another Houston move this time finds Ching but his low shot is easily stopped. Dynamo are playing down both flanks effectively.
22: Long ball from Renaud finds Corica running into the channel but just fails to reach ball "in the end-zone" and goes out for goal kick
23: Patient build up by Sydney breaks down and wide Houston break but cross is cleared. It's all down the flanks where Sydney is struggling to hold the pacy Dynamo.
25: Vidaic gets his head onto a cross but from outside the box never going to trouble Onstad in Dynamo goal.
26: GOAL TO HOUSTON. A BRILLIANT POWER STRIKE FROM DEL ROSARIO JUST OUTSIDE THE BOX AND BOLTON HAS NO CHANCE. DYNAMO DESERVEDLY UP 1-0.
SYDNEY 0 HOUSTON 1
27: SYDNEY IN DISARRAY AS HOUSTON SCORE AGAIN! STUART HOLDEN SCORES AFTER DEFENCE FAILS TO CLEAR ATTACK. SYDNEY 0 HOUSTON 2
30: And it should've been 3-0 but for an awful finish by Houston as Sydney's defending is all over the shop. it's started to rain slightly which should make the pitch even quicker.
32: They've posted the crowd at 15,000 but it looks around half that.
34: Brosque gives away free inside Houston half. Sydney warming up all subs.
36: Sydney look totally outclassed. Houston look sharper, have more cutting edge and are attacking down the flanks very well.
37: Lovely move from Sydney finds Santalab who bursts clear but his shot from the edge of D hits a trailing leg and just goes over. From corner, Santa finds ball at far post but heads over.
39: Another cross from wide gets whipped in as Sydney just clear. Young Ryan Walsh is having a torrid time.
40: McFlynn bursts clear down right but mis-times his shot and it goes over. It's been that sort of half for FC.
41: GOAL TO HOUSTON. 3-0. THIS IS EMBARRASSING. GREAT GOAL THOUGH AS HE BURST THROUGH AND POWERED HOME A DRIVE FROM OUTSIDE THE BOX.
SYDNEY 0 HOUSTON 3
44: Free to Houston just outside box. Blasted over.
45: HALF TIME: SYDNEY 0 HOUSTON 3
Analysis: Sydney was clearly second best. Down the flanks Walsh and Renaud have been fully tested. Houston looked very sharp and organised. The 3-0 scoreline is an accurate reflection of an appalling first half from Sydney - the worst I've seen. In front of a whole lot of international journalists, we look like amateurs.
Second half
45: Bolton off and Necevski on
46: Yellow card to Santalab by referee Alex Prus
51: Brosque wide gets cross in and after the ball clears Robertson gets a shot in but keeper saves. That's better.
53: Game has slowed down somewhat. Houston free wide right headed away and De Rosario's shot goes miles over.
54: Danger man De Rosario off for Brad Davis as Houston look to play this one out and conserve energy for final against Gamba Osaka.
59: Walsh and Corey Ashe clatter into each other with the FC defender going into the book for his trouble.
61: Dodgy offside to Houston after Wondolowski broke clear.
63: Free to Sydney but curling free punched clear by keeper.
64: Subs for Sydney: On Tsattalios and Biddle and off is Vidaic and Corica.
65: Necevski almost stuffs up a back pass from Poppa but Sydney clear. Houston still full of running. Stadium is emptying slowly. Very quiet crowd.
71: Chance for Biddle but he just fails to get on the end of a bouncing through ball and keeper punches clear. Poppa off for Timpano on. Santalab off for Patrick.
74: Houston look very comfortable as Sydney are just battling to save face. Good to see Timpano on for his first appearance in ages.
77: The stadium is close to empty now with around 3,000 now in the 50,000 seater. Necevski boots clear from outside his box as another ball through catches Sydney out.
BTW: there's a lovely view of Pearl Harbour from the stadium!
78: Walsh skinned wide by Mulrooney and his cross is cleared by Timpano for a throw
79: Patrick to Biddle on edge of box but his cross fails to find a blue shirt and the Orange shirted Houston defence clears.
81: Patrick looking lively as Houston take foot off pedal
84: Necevski boots Ustruck and the ball as another long ball gets over the lumbing FC defence.
85: Houston should've made it four but a covering defensive tackle gives away a corner.
88: Sydney just can't seem to make any inroads into a well organised defence.
FULL TIME SYDNEY O HOUSTON 3
ANALYSIS: In a word, appalling. The only consolation is they're playing the equally ordinary Galaxy on Saturday in a rematch of November's game. I'm off to Waikiki to get incredibly drunk... see you on Saturday.
FIRST GAME OF THE NIGHT: OSAKA V GALAXY
FINAL SCORE:
GAMBA OSAKA 1 LA GALAXY 0
Bare 3
Man of the match: Bare
The first game has kicked off between Gamba Osaka and LA Galaxy in front of around 7,000 fans.
The main news is the pitch. It's an artificial surface called FieldTurf and it's very quick.
Gamba is a class above Galaxy with Brazilian striker Bare looking very dangerous.
He's scored after just three minutes and should've easily had a second.
A few lovely cross field balls aside, Beckham's been quiet.
Gamba 1 Galaxy 0 after 22 minutes
And it should've been two nil after a beautiful ball from defence catching the appalling Galaxy defenders flat-footed.
Gamba 1 Galaxy 0 after 58 minutes
FINAL SCORE:
GAMBA OSAKA 1 LA GALAXY 0
Bare 3
Man of the match: Bare
To see Sydney train in Hawaii...
The match isn't televised in Australia so our exclusive minute by minute report from the stadium will be THE way to follow Sydney's fortunes in the game.
The game kicks off at 5.30pm Sydney-time so bookmark this page and keep up to date with us at au.fourfourtwo.com.
To see Sydney train in Hawaii...
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