Sydney FC now sit three points back from second-placed Auckland FC after only managing a point in a heated 0-0 draw against Perth Glory at Allianz Stadium.
After a slow start from both teams, the intensity and desperation over missed chances picked up culminating in frustration on the pitch.
Glory keeper Matt Sutton did well to keep the match at 0-0 on the 20 minute mark, first blocking Al Hassan Touré’s low shot then Alexandar Popović’s close range poke at goal from the subsequent corner.
Tensions boiled over when Rhyan Grant laid a two-footed challenge on Sam Sutton in the 35th minute, Nicholas Pennington then went into confront Grant before Alexandar Popović stepped in to defend his teammate. The end result was a yellow card for Grant and Sutton.
Jaiden Kucharski created a golden chance when he cut the ball back across the six-yard box for one of Gabriel Popović or Pennington to finish off, but neither could connect.
Apostolos Stamatelopoulos had Sydney’s best chance of the match 10 minutes into the second half when he found his way in behind the Perth defence, Matt Sutton rushing out to block the Sydney striker’s effort on goal.
At the hour mark, Perth turned to experienced marksman Adam Taggart to try and break the deadlock; it almost paid-off immediately when he set up Charbel Shamoon inside the area, but the Iraqi international had his shot saved by Harrison Devenish-Meares.
Sydney substitute Akol Akon came close to scoring his first ever Isuzu UTE A-League goal in the 79th minute; the 16-year-old winger found himself wide open to get on the end of Ben Garuccio’s cross but he headed the chance wide.
Akon, Tiago Quintal and Joe Lacey all took speculative shots in the dying moments of the match, but they couldn’t get them on target as the match petered out into a scoreless draw.
Sydney host Auckland FC in the final round next weekend as they look to confirm their own third place finish, while Perth will end their season with a match at home against Brisbane Roar.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Sydney FC chance: Stamatelopoulos 54′
