Sydney FC Head Coach Ufuk Talay praised his side’s composure and control after the Sky Blues claimed their first win of the Isuzu UTE A-League season with a strong performance at Leichhardt Oval.
A Composed Second Half
After a nervy opening 45 minutes, Talay was delighted with how his team settled and took control in the second half.
“I think we got into the opponent’s 18-yard box quite a few times in the first half, but we weren’t composed — we rushed things a little bit too much,” he said.
“You come off a loss in Round One and the boys were pushing hard to get that first goal. But in the second half, we were a lot more composed when we got into those areas. Overall, we controlled the game — the pressing was better, and we created some very good moments in the opponent’s box.”
Two second-half goals sealed a deserved three points.
“We scored two very important goals to kick off the season with a win,” Talay said.
Campuzano’s Magic Moment
The opener came through new signing Víctor Campuzano, who reacted brilliantly to a loose ball in the box.
“Al Hassan [Toure] probably should have capitalised on the first chance, but Victor did a great job to adjust to the situation,” Talay explained. “He just back-heeled it into the goal — and that gave the boys that sigh of relief, that confidence to go on.”
“The second goal was a great one too — a great ball from Joey [Lolley], a great pass from Piero [Quispe], and a great finish from Woody [Pat Wood]. That’s exactly the type of combination play we want to see.”
Building Fitness and Cohesion
With several new players still finding match fitness, Talay said the team will continue to improve as they build chemistry.
“We’re still building — we took Marcel [Tisserand] off, we took Victor off, and Al Hassan has only played about 30 or 45 minutes in pre-season,” he said. “So we’re trying to build these guys up to 100%. At the same time, we need to win games. Once we get these players playing together more, that cohesion will only grow.”
On Campuzano’s Influence
Talay praised Campuzano’s intelligence and movement, which are already bringing a new dimension to Sydney’s attack.
“The reason we brought him in is because he’s a very smart player,” Talay said. “He recognises when to come off the line to protect the ball and bring others into play, and when to make intelligent runs in behind.”
“As he builds that understanding with Joe on one side and Piero through the middle, they’ll only get better. Piero doesn’t like playing to feet — he wants to play balls in behind — so once those runners time their movement together, that cohesion will grow naturally.”
Okon Jnr and Youlley Impress Again
Talay also highlighted the performances of young midfielders Paul Okon Jnr & Rhys Youlley, who continue to develop.
“Paully’s [Okon Jnr] an intelligent player. He did a fantastic job away with the Young Socceroos at the World Cup, and Rhys [Youlley] did a great job alongside him,” Talay said. “They recognise the moments when one should drop or go higher. They’ll only get better with more games — young players need minutes to grow.”
The Power of Al Hassan Toure
New striker Al Hassan Toure also caught the eye with his speed and strength, providing a different attacking threat.
“Al Hassan gives us a different dimension,” Talay said. “He’s got that strength, power and speed to break lines. He made some very good runs and could’ve capitalised on a few moments, but once he gets fitter, he’ll score goals for us this season.”
“He’s a top kid — works hard and does everything we ask of him. Once he gets that first goal and that confidence, I think we’ll see even more from him.”
