Sydney FC are through to their fourth Australia Cup final after defeating Melbourne City in the first semi-final at AAMI Park on Sunday afternoon.
Goals from Patrick Wood and Joe Lolley either side of half-time gave the Sky Blues the lead, before Jamie Maclaren pulled one back for City but it was not enough to spark a late fightback for the home side.
While the performance was not as polished as Sydney FC would have liked, Luke Brattan was pleased that his side found a way to win in a venue that had proved difficult in previous Australia Cup campaigns.
“It wasn’t the greatest performance from us but it was professional,” Brattan told Network 10 post-match.
“It’s a hard place to come, they are a fantastic team. In the last two finals that we have come here, we have lost so it’s good to come here and win.
“Silverware is up for grabs at the end of the day so the boys are happy.”
The Sky Blues have added some more firepower to their squad this season as they look to alter their playing style.
Brattan was encouraged by Sydney’s ability to implement their new game plan and how the new recruits have begun to bed their way into the squad.
“The training standards have been good,” he said.
“The boys are fit and we’re playing a different style. We’re trying to press a little bit more. The boys are enthusiastic and they have energy so they’ve been rewarded for good performances.”
Two of their new signings Fabio Gomes and Gabriel Lacerda made their debut in the 2-1 victory over Melbourne City.
Both Gomes and Lacerda have arrived in Sydney on loan deals from Brazilian clubs and Brattan said you could see their quality straight away in training.
“Fabio is a bit different to what we’ve got and he’s only been here a couple of weeks, so it’s exciting to see what he can do,” Brattan explained.
“And Gabby, he’s a class footballer. You can see already that he’s silky on the ball just from the couple of training sessions he’s had. It adds good depth for the squad.”
Sydney will face Brisbane Roar in the final to be played on the weekend of October 7 at a yet-to-be-determined venue.
Originally published on the Australia Cup website.
