Sydney FC captain Steve Corica has refused to compare his side to the championship-winning outfit of season one, arguing the current team is still a work in progress despite sweeping to the top of the Hyundai A-League table.
Corica’s second-half goal gave the Sky Blues a more-comfortable-than-it-looked 1-0 win over Adelaide at the SFS on Sunday night, making it three 1-0 wins and a scoreless draw from their last four matches.
Sydney heads into the new year with the competition lead courtesy of Melbourne’s shock loss to North Queensland, but Corica isn’t about to make grand statements about the possibility of a title win.
“We’ve still a got a few games left. We’re sitting in a good position and we’re happy with the way we’re playing and (the fact we’re) getting results,” Corica said.
“We’d like to score more goals but we’re creating the chance and that’s obviously a good thing.”
“Sooner or later they’ll go in.”
Pragmatic coach Vitezslav Lavicka was also reluctant to open up on Sydney’s title hopes after the latest victory, but did admit he was ‘happy’ with the team’s steady progress.
The Christmas period proved particularly fruitful, two wins and a draw from three matches the return.
“The season is still going. We are happy that we reach good results during the Christmas week because it’s been a busy week,” Lavicka said.
“They have shown good character. I am happy but the players know the season is still going.”
While the Sky Blues camp was keen to hose down the growing expectations, beaten Adelaide coach Aurelio Vidmar wasn’t so reticent to hand out praise.
He said of Sydney: “They’re a very good side. They’re a quick, slick passing side and tonight they were very, very good, especially coming off three games in a week.”
The hosts surprised Adelaide early by going for them when the Reds may have expected them to ease themselves into the game.
But for all Sydney’s graft and enterprise, only Corica’s goal separated the teams after 90 minutes.
The captain took his opening well, conning his way past a defender before his deflected shot left Reds keeper Eugene Galekovic stranded.
“I knew once I got the opportunity that’s what I was going to do,” Corica said of his goal.
“I went for the near post but it got a little deflection and went far (post) but they all count.”
“It’s been a hard week but the boys have responded well and showed good character.”
Adelaide rarely threatened and now occupies last spot following the Fury’s win.
“We hung in there for most of the game and tried to fight our way out of it but technically we let ourselves down,” Vidmar said.
“We’ve got to keep plugging away and believe we can get in the finals.”
