Sydney FC star Steve Corica is the AFC Champions League’s joint top goal scorer after his brace took his tally to four and helped Branko Culina’s team beat Persik Kediri 3-0 at Parramatta Stadium.
Sydney FC star Steve Corica is the AFC Champions League’s joint top goal scorer after his brace took his tally to four and helped Branko Culina’s team beat Persik Kediri 3-0 at Parramatta Stadium.
Veteran midfielder Corica, who netted Sydney FC’s first goal in Shanghai and its only goal in Solo City, opened the scoring nine minutes after the half-time break. The oldest member of Sydney FC’s squad, 34-year-old Corica sidefooted the ball home after Persik Kediri goalkeeper Kurnia Sandy could only parry David Zdrilic’s header.
Alex Brosque, playing alongside Zdrilic as Sydney FC played 4-4-2 for the first time under Culina, doubled the home team’s advantage in the 73rd minute. Zdrilic headed down Terry McFlynn’s long ball into the Persik Kediri box and Brosque volleyed the ball inside the right-hand post of substitute custodian Wahyudi, who had been called into duty after Sandy injured one of his fingers in an unfortunate collision with Zdrilic.
Wahyudi denied Zdrilic’s replacement, Adam Casey, with a fine save but Persik Kediri’s back-up goalkeeper could not prevent Corica scoring his second and Sydney FC’s third just before stoppage time began. McFlynn’s cross found Corica unmarked at the back post and Sydney FC’s man of the match put the ball into the net with ease. The only blot against Corica’s copybook was the caution that he received in the first half which means that he, along with Robbie Middleby, Ufuk Talay and Nikolai Topor-Stanley, is one minor misdemeanour away from missing a match in Asia’s premier club competition.
With two rounds of Group E games to go, Sydney FC has seven points – one fewer than Urawa Reds and one greater than Persik Kediri. Shanghai Shenhua has one point and is, therefore, effectively out of the competition. Sydney FC’s destiny is in its own hands since victories over Shanghai Shenhua (home) on May 9 and Urawa Reds (away) on May 23 will guarantee its qualification for the knockout phase of the international tournament.
Sydney FC 3 (Steve Corica 54′, 90′, Alex Brosque 73′)
Persik Kediri 0
Date: Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Venue: Parramatta Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Minh Tri Vo (Vietnam)
Crowd: 10,075
Sydney FC: 1. Clint BOLTON (gk), 2. Iain FYFE, 4. Mark RUDAN (captain), 6. Ufuk TALAY, 7. Robbie MIDDLEBY, 9. David ZDRILIC (18. Adam CASEY 76′), 10. Steve CORICA, 11. Nikolai TOPOR-STANLEY, 14. Alex BROSQUE, 15. Terry McFLYNN, 16. Mark MILLIGAN.
Substitutes not used: 20. Dean BOUNZANIS (gk), 3. Nikolas TSATTALIOS, 5. Noel SPENCER, 17. Jacob TIMPANO, 19. Luka GLAVAS.
Yellow cards: Steve Corica 24′, Robbie Middleby 84′.
Persik Kediri: 1. Kurnia SANDY (gk) (27. WAHYUDI (gk) 64′), 3. Erol IBA, 4. Aris INDARTO (captain), 6. ZAINURI, 8. Jefri Dwi HADI (7. Bertha Yuana PUTRA 79′), 10. Christian GONZALEZ, 12. HARIANTO, 13. Budi SUDARSONO, 18. Aris Budi PRASETIYA, 25. Khusnul Yuli KURNIAWAN, 28. Ronald FAGUNDEZ.
Substitutes not used: 2. Yohanes YANTARA, 23 Restu Setyo KARTIKO.
Yellow cards: Harianto 5′, Zainuri 36′, Ronald Fagundez 60′.
