Sydney FC delivered a dream start for newly appointed coach John Kosmina defeating local rival Central Coast Mariners 3-2 in a spectacular round 10 clash at the Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Both sides rewarded their new recruits, former Leeds United striker Michael Bridges for Sydney and returning Socceroo John Aloisi for the Mariners, with a starting spot.

The pair looked promising in the early stages but it was Sydney’s marquee recruit Juninho who stole in the opening stages and after 16 minutes the little Brazilian was the architect for Sydney’s first.

Juninho’s lovely through pass to Steve Corica dissected Central Coast’s defence, the veteran striker’s low cross-goal shot rebounding off the far post into the path of the waiting Alex Brosque.

The Mariners responded positively and a threatening cross by Sasha Petrovski beat everyone on the way to the back post where a lunging Aloisi was a yard away from opening his A-League account.

It was a costly lost opportunity as some lovely play at the other end saw Sydney double their advantage on 26 minutes.

A beautiful pass by unlikely source Tony Popovic was met by the diagonal run of Brosque, who finished clinically with his favoured left boot as the Mariners’ defence, previously the best in the league, was left floundering.

But the Mariners hit back only a minute later when Tom Pondeljak squared to midfield partner John Hutchinson who thumped home a cracker from the edge of the goal box arc.

The goal gave Central Coast some much needed confidence to get back into the contest until captain Popovic used his superior height and strength from a corner, directing his diving header to the unmanned Mariners’ far post to regain the two goal advantage 13 minutes before the break.

The second period proved to be equally eventful when 10 minutes after the break Central Coast defender Dean Heffernan blatantly held back Bridges in the penalty area, giving Sydney a chance to virtually close out the affair.

Brosque stepped up for a chance to grab a hat-trick, beating Vukovic but was cruelly denied by the upright.

The miss proved to be a catalyst for another Mariners fight back minutes later as a teasing run by Andre Gumprecht ended with a lay off for Hutchinson who dished up a replica of his first-half beauty, this time firing into the net with the outside of his left boot.

The contest was well and truly open but Sydney’s speed and skill continued to worry the Central Coast players, Hutchinson, Heffernan, Mile Jedinak, and Tony Vidmar all receiving yellow cards for late challenges.

The final quarter of the game was dominated by the home side, as a handful of chances to bury the match were foiled by some poor decision making in the last third of the field.

The Mariners pressed hard but apart from a Tom Pondeljak effort which was brilliantly blocked by Ian Fyfe, the boys from the north coast could not find a much needed equaliser handing Sydney an entertaining and well received home win.

Sydney FC 3: (A Brosque 16′, 26′, T Popovic 32′)

Central Coast 2: (J Hutchinson 27′, 52′)

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Tags: Sydney, start, Kosmina

Posted on October 28th, 2007 by Klaus Roe
Filed under: Football, Soccer