Three goals, no assists, one afternoon that belonged entirely to Al Hassan Toure. Sydney FC beat Central Coast Mariners 4-1, and the midfielder accounted for three of the four goals himself.
Toure finished the match with a rating of 9.5, the kind of number that reflects a performance where every touch seemed to matter. He was involved in three of Sydney's four goals, scoring all of them without needing a single assist to pad the tally.
A complete attacking display
Hat-tricks from midfield don't come around often, and Toure's was built entirely on his own finishing rather than combination play. With three goals and zero assists, he was the central figure in a 4-1 scoreline that left little doubt about which side controlled the game.
Central Coast Mariners found a single goal of their own, but it was never enough to answer the damage Toure did on his own. For a midfielder to lead a team in goal involvements by such a margin, in a game that finished with four goals for his side, says plenty about how decisive his day was.
What it means
Sydney FC walk away with a comfortable win, and Toure walks away with a man of the match level display on paper. Three goals in a single match is a rare return for any player, let alone one operating from midfield, and the scale of the win, four goals to one against Central Coast Mariners, only sharpens how complete his afternoon was.