His side has gone through the first five matches of the Hyundai A-League season without tasting defeat, but Sydney FC coach, John Kosmina knows Sunday’s clash with the winless Wellington Phoenix will be anything but a walkover.

His side has gone through the first five matches of the Hyundai A-League season without tasting defeat, but Sydney FC coach, John Kosmina knows Sunday-s clash with the winless Wellington Phoenix will be anything but a walkover.

“It-s a banana skin,” said Kosmina. “They-ve got to be fired up, apparently they haven-t won for nine games at home, they-ve gone and spent money in the off-season to strengthen their squad, they brought players in from Australia and it hasn-t happened for them.”

The Phoenix fought back from a two nil half-time deficit to defeat Sydney the last time the teams met in this-year-s Pre-Season Cup, and while the Kiwis haven-t yet transferred that form to the competition proper, the FC mentor is expecting a battle in New Zealand.

“It doesn-t matter how skilful you are, how good a side you are, if the other side is going to out-fight you, they want it more than you (then) the chances are you-re going to lose,” Kosmina explained. “We-ll go out to play our normal game but if it turns into a bit of a dog-fight then we have to fight.”

Wellington has struggled through the first five rounds, falling to three defeats, most recently against the Perth Glory, but Sydney expects them to be a different prospect this weekend at home.

“They-ve always been difficult to play against and they-ve scored some shock results,” said Kosmina. “They-ve got their back s to the wall.”

Sunday-s match kicks off at Westpac Stadium at 2pm Australian Eastern Standard Time, and will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 2.