Sky Blues unlucky in loss

The Mariners are one side who are on top of their game in Season 2020/21 and are now sitting on eight points from their opening four games, and Sydney Head Coach Steve Corica warned before the game the Sky Blues would have to be at their best against a rejuvenated Central Coast outfit.

"They're doing well, and only conceded the one goal in three games, defensively they're working well as a team and we need to find ways to break them down.

"We've got our style of play and how we want to play. Whether they press us or drop deep, you have to find ways around it to deliver good balls and combination play." Corica said at training on Wednesday

Sydney FC was made to pay for their missed chances and a VAR decision which went against them after Buhagiar put the ball in the net in the 50th minute, but the flag went up for offside in the lead-up play.

It was their first defeat of the season with an unfortunate own goal by Warland making things go south really quickly when his outstretched foot skimmed the ball just enough to wrong-foot goalie Redmayne to give the visitors the lead.

Steve Corica's men pushed to get back into the contest however it was the Mariners who doubled the lead through a deflected goal from their substitute Kuol.

Central Coast then put the brakes on sitting deep in their half as Sydney FC peppered the final third, but the comeback wasn't to be.

Steve Corica said his team should have won the game they dominated, and got into good areas, but they just lacked that final pass into the box.

"It was similar to last week, but I think we created more entries into the box this time."

"That's the way football goes sometimes you have just got to move on," he said

"They took their chances and scored at the right time."

Sydney sits mid-table having endured a two-week gap between matches to start the season, due to Covid travel restrictions.

The Wanders, Adelaide, Central Coast and Macarthur FC have played four games to Sydney's three.

The team will keep working hard as they prepare to bounce back in their first matchup against cross-city side Macarthur FC who have two wins under their belts, on Saturday at Campbelltown Sports Stadium.

Ante Juric's women's squad sits equal top of the W-League following a perfect start to the season with three wins from three games.

Sydney will be back in action at Jubilee Stadium in round seven against Wellington Phoenix on Monday, February 8.