We'll destroy A-League teams': Steve Corica delighted with Sydney FC's ACL outing
Bullish Sydney FC coach Steve Corica has declared his side will destroy A-League opposition if they reproduce the attacking flair they showed in their Asian Champions League draw with star-studded Shanghai SIPG.
The 3-3 thriller at Sydney’s Jubilee Oval on Wednesday left the Sky Blues bottom of their group at the halfway stage, but captain for the night Alex Wilkinson insisted the club could still make the knockout stage.
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Disappointed by three times conceding a lead to what he described as sloppy goals, Corica was still proud of his team’s performance.
With marquee player Siem de Jong and Daniel De Silva fit after missing large chunks of the season, Adam Le Fondre and Reza Ghoochannejhad looking lively up forward and skipper Alex Brosque and playmaker Miloš Ninković providing spark off the bench, Sydney looked a potent attacking unit.
“I think if we play like that against any A-League team we’ll destroy them,” Corica said. “That’s what we want, we’ve improved, we’re getting better, we’ve got players back now, we have good options off the bench.”
Sydney’s efforts in their two home games has centre-back Wilkinson believing they can still advance from their group.
“To only pick up only two points so far from our home games is a little bit disappointing, it’s going to make things a little bit difficult now,” Wilkinson told AAP. “It’s definitely do-able, no doubt. We’ve shown we can definitely match it with these teams and that’s going to give us confidence going over there.
“When those teams are at home, they play al little bit different and they are usually a bit more difficult, but there’s definitely enough positives in those two performances, that it’s still well and truly possible to qualify.”
Between them, Brazilian internationals Oscar and Hulk assisted in all three of the visitors goals.
“In the first half, we gave Oscar and Hulk a little bit too much room out wide and gave them time to pick crosses which we conceded two goals from,” Wilkinson said.
“If you give those sorts of players enough time on the ball, they can turn it on a sixpence and they did that twice and it cost us twice. But all in all, I think we contained them quite well and it’s’ enjoyable to play against those guys.”
Corica expects fullback Michael Zullo will probably miss Saturday’s derby with Western Sydney but thinks de Jong should be okay, despite getting a kick on a calf.