Sydney FC head coach Ufuk Talay says Thursday night’s AFC Champions League Two clash with Sanfrecce Hiroshima comes too soon for injured duo Joe Lolley and Douglas Costa, who are both set to miss the midweek encounter.
Sky Blues star Costa succumbed to a hamstring injury in Sydney’s first clash with Sanfrecce in the ACL Two group stage on October 23; the Brazilian has yet to return although Talay did suggest the former Bayern Munich and Juventus winger could feature in Thursday night’s clash at Allianz Stadium.
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Talay was also optimistic that the Sanfrecce clash would provide Lolley with the chance to return from a groin injury suffered in Sydney’s Isuzu UTE A-League meeting with Auckland FC on October 27 – but the Sky Blues boss has now confirmed both players will sit out the ACL Two fixture with a focus on returning in time for Sunday’s meeting with Macarthur Bulls on Sunday evening.
“Both of them we won’t utilise for this game,” Talay said.
“Joe is probably closer to being involved tomorrow at some capacity but we’ve also got one eye on the game two days later, our first home game in the season against Macarthur. So we won’t risk Joe for tomorrow night’s clash – and I think Douglas is not there yet.”
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In the absence of Lolley and Costa, Talay turned to Jordan Courtney-Perkins and Max Burgess to start against Brisbane Roar in Round 3 of the Isuzu UTE A-League, Sydney’s most recent fixture that ended in a 3-2 win to the Sky Blues.
But Talay has hinted there will be a change to the make-up of his attacking unit against Sanfrecce on Thursday, with young gun Adrian Segecic backed to earn his first start of the season.
There won’t be a start for Sydney’s Round 3 match-winner Jaiden Kucharski, however, with the young forward expected to continue to get his minutes as a substitute.
“They’re important players to us,” Talay said. “They give us the depth in the squad that we need when we have these types of injuries with important players.
“Segga might get the possibility, the chance tomorrow to start, probably his first start with us.
“JK (Kucharski) not so much at this moment, but he provides that excitement and also that freshness when he does come on the park to produce those moments within the games.”
Segecic was Sydney’s goalscorer in last month’s 2-1 loss to Sanfrecce away in Japan – a result that extended the Sky Blues’ 15-game winless run against Japanese clubs in AFC competition.
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How to watch?
Kick-off for Sydney’s fourth ACL Two clash is 7:00pm AEDT on Thursday, November 7 at Jubilee Stadium. You can catch all the action from Sydney FC v Sanfrecce Hiroshima LIVE and FREE on 10 Play.
Match details
Sydney FC v Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Matchday Four – AFC Champions League Two
Thursday, November 7 2024
Venue: Jubilee Stadium
Kick Off: 7:00pm AEDT
Broadcast: 10 Play
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