Sydney FC’s 2024-25 AFC Champions League Two campaign is off to the perfect start, after a comfortable 5-0 win over Hong Kong’s Eastern SC on Thursday night.
Four of Sydney’s big-name signings impressed at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, with Anas Ouahim, Patryk Klimala and Brazilian duo Douglas Costa and Leo Sena all starting the ACL Two clash. Alexandar Popovic came off the bench to make his Sydney debut after his loan move from K League 1 outfit Gwangju FC was finalised this week.
Ouahim scored two of Sydney’s five goals in a stellar midfield display while high-profile recruit Costa notched an assist and played a key part in two more goals in a head-turning Sky Blue debut.
Polish striker Klimala missed a penalty for Sydney on a night new club captain Rhyan Grant got off the mark in 2024-25, with a pair of own goals to Eastern’s Daniel Almazan and Leung Chun Pong rounding out the Isuzu UTE A-League side’s 5-0 win.
Sydney will continue their ACL Two campaign with an away trip to face Kaya FC Iloilo on Thursday, October 3. Kaya FC Iloilo lost 3-0 to Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the other group clash, which means the Sky Blues sit on top of Group E on goal difference.
Post-game, Sydney FC head coach Ufuk Talay praised his side for overcoming what was a stern test put up by Eastern early doors before his side stormed home to claim three points.
“Definitely pleased with the result tonight,” he said.
“We knew we’d have a lot of the ball against the opponent tonight and it was up to us to break them down. It took us a while to get there but once we did there was some good combination play.
“Overall pleased. I think second half was probably even better once we got into rhythm. We rectified a few things, we knew the opponent would set up in a low block and try to counter and I think in the second half we definitely pinned them back.”
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Sydney FC dominated the first half – but before Ouahim’s 32nd-minute opener, it was Eastern with the best chances to score crafted through a series of counter attacks.
Eastern’s Víctor Bertomeu was presented with three opportunities through the first half-hour but Sydney survived the series of scares, and went on to carve out a comfortable lead by the break.
Sydney broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute with a goal that came at the end of a slick attacking move; Costa drew three players on the edge of the box, which created space for Rhyan Grant to dart in behind and meet the Brazilian’s through ball.
Grant cut the ball back to the penalty spot where Ouahim arrived to control and finish.
Having assisted the first goal, Grant scored his side’s second just before half-time with a simple header off a short corner routine and Costa’s pinpoint delivery into the box.
Shortly after half-time, Network 10 co-commentator Andy Harper watched as the latest in a series of crosses from Costa just evaded the head of Klimala who, despite his later penalty miss, looked a threat inside the box in a promising debut.
“It hasn’t quite dropped for Klimala yet, but do you reckon he’s licking his lips at what might happen this season?” Harper said.
“If it just gets a little bit more refined… at this stage, of watching all the teams get ready for the Isuzu UTE A-League Men season, it’s pretty hard to top the front three – on this evidence – of (Joe) Lolley, Costa and Klimala.
“Now I’ve gone out very early on Klimala, because I’ve just seen the 45 minutes, but his movement has been impressive. He hasn’t had a lot to feed off, I just get the feeling he’s going to have plenty of chances this season. “
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Ouahim doubled his tally nine minutes after half-time and once again, Costa was in the thick of the action. Having collected the ball in the final third, the Brazilian fed a no-look pass into the feet of Klimala, whose inventive flick-on found Ouahim all alone to finish.
Klimala had threatened in patches while leading the Sydney line in his competitive debut, and just after the hour mark had the chance to open his account when Eastern conceded a penalty but the Polish striker’s attempt from the spot was saved by Yapp Hung Fai.
The Sky Blues weren’t deterred by the penalty miss and kept their foot on the throttle and a pair of unfortunate own goals in minutes 64 and 71 put the result out of sight as the Sky Blues cruised to a 5-0 win.
Post-game, Eastern head coach Roberto Losada was asked about the challenge of curtailing Brazilian Costa’s impact on proceedings but Losada instead chose to highlight the breadth of talent in Sydney’s attack.
“At the end, it’s not only one player,” he said.
“We know Douglas Costa is very good, but then you look at the other players and they are not far away from him.
“You cannot focus on only one player At the end, Douglas Costa didn’t score, right? But the rest, yes. So in general, Sydney have a good squad (with) good players.”
