A Sydney FC fan likened his team to ‘deers in the headlights’ after 4-0 thrashing by Ange Postecoglou’s Yokohama F Marinos in the AFC Champions League action at Yokohama International Stadium on Wednesday.
The Sky Blues were hapless as Ado Onaiwu and Teruhito Nakagawa both scored two goals each. The win, which follows last week’s 2-1 victory away at Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, gives the Japanese club an early six-point lead at the top of Group H – although the rest of the teams all hold games in hand.
“Nothing we can really take from the evening, apart from residing that we are the best team in a horrendous domestic competition,” said the fan.
While Sydney FC head coach Steve Corica blames the fact that his team has not played for 19 days due to torrential rain and the Covid-19 outbreak, fans took a jab at A-League.
“This truly shows that the FFA need to smarten up on how they allow clubs to organize their ACL squads. FFA needs to have a word with the clubs and get rid of salary cap so that these clubs can play at international level,” said Jason Sciberras.
Antoine Finianos said: “We were so outplayed tonight it was embarrassing. The difference between the J-League and the A-League is worlds apart.”
Radu Bliuc showed the same sentiment: “It shows the general level of A League, if us, trailing without any decent opposition back home, cannot even be in contention with a good team from Asia.”
Some section of Sydney FC’s fans blamed Corica’s tactical ineptitude for the loss.
“Did anyone see (how) Perth Glory take on Tokyo FC who came second in the J league? Tokyo was well contained. Why? Because the Perth coach didn’t go out all guns blazing and arrogant. Corica was found out in a big way and has only plan A with no clue how to read a game and adjust,” said Gaston Arevalo.
Troy Skrypka argued Corica should adapt his tactic to the strength of the J1 League’s champion. “Piss poor from Corica. It’s Ange for f*** sake, and we made zero tactical adjustments to counter any of it. I don’t know how many of you watched Yokohama‘s first match but they could’ve won that by 3 or 4 too, hardest match in the group done at least.”
Sydney arrived in Japan having won 34 of the last 36 available points in Australia’s A-League. But what had been billed as a clash of the titans quickly became a mismatch. The hosts produced 45 minutes of sparkling football to have the game wrapped up by half-time.
The Japanese champions were faster, more ruthless and more aggressive. They suffocated The Sky Blues with their high pressing and sky-high confidence which shows when Thai-born left-back, Teerathon Bunmathan made a defence-splitting pass onto Teruhito Nakagawa’s path to slot home.
Sydney FC will be eager to turn around their continental campaign when they host Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on March 4.