Sydney FC moved into the Group Stage of the 2022 AFC Champions League on Tuesday as Trent Buhagiar’s first half opener was followed by braces for both Bobo and Adam Le Fondre as Steve Corica’s team claimed a 5-0 win over Kaya FC Iloilo from the Philippines at Jubilee Oval.
The A-League side progress into Group H of the continental championship, where they will take on two-time champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors from Korea Republic, Japan’s Yokohama F Marinos and Vietnamese hosts Hoang Anh Gia Lai in Ho Chi Minh City next month.
An impressive second half showing took Sydney through to the next phase of the competition on an evening when the wind and rain that have battered New South Wales all week made conditions challenging for both teams.
Kosta Barbarouses tested Zach Banzon as early as the third minute, with the Kaya keeper sharp enough to make the save when he dropped to his left to deny the New Zealander.
Three minutes later Buhagiar hit the crossbar with his shot on the turn from eight yards while Banzon kept out another Barbarouses effort in the 10th minutes as the visitors somehow kept the A-League side at bay.
Kaya were forced to defend throughout the opening quarter of the game, with Daizo Horikoshi fashioning the Philippines side’s best opportunity in the fifth minute when he stumbled through the Sydney defence before failing to trouble Andrew Redmayne.
Sydney eventually broke through in the 30th minute when Buhagiar struck from close range, slamming the ball home after Banzon had again saved from Barbarouses following Connor O’Toole’s deep cross from the left.
The home side upped their game in the second half, with Bobo doubling Sydney’s lead a little over a minute after the restart from close range having seen Banzon keep out Max Burgess’ initial effort.
The Brazilian then confidently hit Sydney’s third from the penalty spot in the 49th minute following Fitch Arboleda foul on Rhyan Grant and he narrowly missed out on a hat-trick when he put his shot into the side netting six minutes later.
Le Fondre came off the bench to add the fourth for Sydney when he headed Mustafa Amini’s header home in the 71st minute and the Englishman claimed his second of the game with nine minutes remaining after being played in by fellow substitute Patrick Wood.
Sydney FC, pass to group stage in Group H of the 2022 AFC Champions League for clubs are due to begin on 16 April – 1 May.
Credit Photo : Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
