Unexpected hero sparks Melbourne City surge while Sydney FC faces major setback in finals aspirations.

Alessandro Lopane emerged as the decisive hero in his season debut, helping Melbourne City secure a 3-2 victory over finals-hopefuls Sydney FC in the Isuzu UTE A-League.

After a lengthy absence of 328 days due to a patella injury that required surgery during pre-season, the 20-year-old made a triumphant return, scoring in the 61st minute to propel City to a hard-fought win at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night, pushing them up to third place.

In a captivating match that swung back and forth, City took the lead twice as they and Sydney engaged in a thrilling exchange of goals during a four-goal first half. Medin Memeti and Max Caputo netted for City, while Douglas Costa and Jordan Courtney-Perkins replied for the Sky Blues.

Lopane’s crucial goal not only handed City their first away victory against the Sky Blues since 2022, solidifying their position in the top four, but it also left Sydney, who reached the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League Two, languishing in seventh and three points adrift of the top six.

The action kicked off energetically in Sydney, with Tilio and Costa showcasing their skills.

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It was Socceroo Tilio who ignited the contest with a brilliant cross that enabled Memeti to give City an early lead in the fifth minute.

However, Sydney were forced to make an early substitution after Leo Sena was stretchered off due to a serious ankle injury.

While City appeared to pose the greater threat, Sydney equalised just before the half-hour mark, with Courtney-Perkins meeting Costa’s corner with a powerful header in the 29th minute.

The fierce contest continued, with Tilio once again instrumental in the 35th minute, delivering a superb reverse pass to Caputo, who expertly slotted the ball past Sydney goalkeeper Harrison Devenish-Meares.

Yet, City’s lead lasted only four minutes, as Costa turned from provider to scorer with a stunning finish, once again levelling the match for Sydney—his first goal at Allianz Stadium.

Despite the relentless efforts of Ufuk Talay’s Sydney, they were unable to find an equaliser in front of their home crowd.