Sydney FC are having a good season but have had a few below-average performances throughout.
To win the Asian Champions League, they’ll have to minimize these types of errors. Here are the worst performances by the overconfident, yet dominant title challenges who think they’ll be able to win the ACL, as well as break their most goals in a season record with 66.
That may be the case, but if they produce another performance like one of the following, they should kiss these ambitions goodbye.
2-0 loss against Central Coast
The Mariners won their first game of the season in style. It was a 2-0 victory, but Sydney had a few chances of their own to get one back and failed to do so. The closest was Alex Wilkinson, who hit the upright from a free kick.
The 2-0 losses were due to a shaky Sydney FC defence with lapses of concentration. Some slick Mariners movement and poor positioning from Michael Zullo left Andrew Hoole one on one with the keeper. The other goal saw Josh Brilliante unable to stay with Jake McGing from a corner.
0-0 draw against Adelaide United
Most of this Adelaide United team were making their first starts of the season, as some of their key young players (Paul Izzo, George Blackwood and Benjamin Garuccio) were absent due to international duty in China.
Furthermore, more experienced players and regular Vince Lia, Johan Absalonsen, Nathan Kostandopoulous, Ryan Kitto, Nikola Mileusnic, Taylor Regan and Tarek Elrich were all injured. In total, ten of their players were missing.
The squad had an average age of 23.45, with players Lachlan Brook, Apostolos Stamatelopoulos and Mark Ochieng making their first-ever starts. That’s not mentioning that 30-year-old Ersan Gulum was taken off before halftime, also due to injury and was replaced by 21-year-old Ben Warland, which reduces the average squad age to 22.6.
In addition to this, Marco Kurz had to change his formation and put a few of his players in unfamiliar positions.
It’s not that Adelaide completely dominated, but left back (out of position) Ryan Strain hit the crossbar, Bobo was kept very quiet by Jordan Elsey and could only get rid of the ball, finding the way of an Adelaide player. Adrian Mierzejewski also wasted some good opportunities, mainly being Daniel Margush’s or Ben Warland’s defensive errors.
1-1 draw against Central Coast
Although the result didn’t suggest it, the performance was absolutely appalling. Sydney was off the pace for the whole first half and were incredibly lucky not to be 2-0 down before halftime.
The first goal was pathetic. Josh Brilliante passed the ball, Kwabena Appiah intercepted it right in front of goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne and then Redmayne trips him. After just six minutes, Blake Powell had the Mariners in the lead.
Sydney’s passing was appalling, especially Josh Brilliante’s awful backpass led to the first goal and that wasn’t the only poor pass he made. He attempted 80 passes, predominately simple ones, with only around 75 per cent accuracy. Michael Zullo’s crossing wasn’t as effective as normal either and didn’t create any goal scoring opportunities.
Bobo saved the day to level the scores for the Sky Blues, but even after that Sydney FC never settled.
All of these instances are a variety of errors. Lacking the goal-scoring touch in one game, poor positioning and a lack of concentration in another as well as poor passing.
The tougher Asian teams won’t let these types of mistakes beat them, so Sydney will need to be at their best in the ACL.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
Even though St.Pauli ultimately lost a high-scoring affair, Jackson Irvine was a standout, as well as scoring a late goal.
Mathew Leckie played a pivotal part in Melbourne City claiming an 8-nil win; playing a role in several of his team's goals.
The loser of the Sydney Derby will be under immense pressure entering the final three matches of the season.
A good performance from Michael Ruhs, scoring twice to beat Macarthur and doubling his season goal tally in the process.
Phillip Cancar’s rather comical and momentarily delayed dive in the 36th minute of Newcastle Jets 3-1 win over Sydney FC on Sunday was a…
Sydney moved into fourth with their point but Glory's finals hopes are now officially extinguished.
