Sydney’s win over Wellington has catapulted the Sky Blues to outright top for the first time since midway through the inaugural Hyundai A-League season.
The 2-0 triumph combined with Gold Coast’s 1-0 defeat at the hands of Newcastle earlier on Sunday pushed the Sydneysiders top and set up a blockbuster clash between the two early frontrunners at Skilled Park next Saturday.
Sydney coach Vitezslav Lavicka overseeing an unbeaten start to the campaign and a third win in four outings.
The result has Lavicka achieving what no Sydney coach has been able to do since Pierre Littbarski had the club sitting atop the ladder in Round 12 of the 2005/06 season, though the Sky Blues did have equal share of top spot last season.
Lavicka was reluctant to be drawn on next weekend’s meeting.
“We are curious about (the game), and we are looking forward (to the game) but now we have to make a good recovery and we have a couple of days to prepare well,” he said.
Lavicka said that veteran midfielder Steve Corica started on the bench for tactical reasons.
Brendan Gan came off the bench in preference to Corica when Terry McFlynn was a first half casualty with the influential midfielder sustaining a corked thigh.
Goalscoring hero Gan can’t wait for next week’s top-of-the-table clash.
“Obviously they (Gold Coast) are a good team, but I think we are also a good team, and I think when we go out and play confident football, we are playing really good football, so I think anyone can win but we are going to go out and give it to them,” he said.
“We have been putting in some good performances.”
“I think it’s a good thing that we are not getting as much attention as the Gold Coast, and it really matters at the end who will be the champions, so it’s still Round 4 and we have plenty of time to go.”
Wellington coach Ricki Herbert was encouraged by the performance of debutant Sydney-raised goalkeeper Reece Crowther, who was playing in place of regular shotstopper Mark Paston whose wife was expecting a baby.
“I think he is a good signing for the club and for the future,” said Herbert.
“It was a good venue to come to for your first start and I can’t blame him for anything tonight.”
The Phoenix will look to bounce back from their second loss of the campaign when they host Adelaide on Friday.
