Sydney FC’s New Resilience and Determination
Sydney FC is showing signs of a renewed sense of resilience and determination under the guidance of interim coach Patrick Kisnorbo. This new mindset, combined with a steely edge, is expected to serve the team well as they face crucial semi-final matches against the reigning premiers, Newcastle.
In their recent match at AAMI Park, Sydney FC secured a 1-0 victory over Melbourne Victory, their former club. This win marks the fifth consecutive game without a loss for the Sky Blues, setting them up for upcoming challenges against the high-flying Jets. The first match will be in Sydney next Saturday, followed by a return leg in Newcastle the following week.
Kisnorbo, who took charge on March 24 after Ufuk Talay’s departure, emphasized the importance of maintaining a positive attitude and working hard. “It doesn’t require any talent, just trying to change your mindset,” he said. “And, hopefully, after tonight they have that belief.”
Midfielder Paul Okon Jnr believes the coaching approach has had a noticeable impact on the team’s performance. “You can see the difference on the field in terms of our effort and our fighting spirit,” he said. “As a team, we were able to do that today, and that’s what made a difference in the game.”
Defender Ben Garuccio, who previously played under Kisnorbo at Melbourne City, isn’t surprised by the changes. 
“It’s very simple, very straightforward — work hard, outfight the other team,” Garuccio said. “Don’t get me wrong. We want to play beautiful football — there wasn’t a lot of it tonight — we want to play great football. But in the short time he’s had, the biggest thing he’s tried to instill is that hard work, that belief, fighting for one another. And we proved that tonight, which was good.”
Okon Jnr is confident that Sydney FC can achieve something special during the finals series. “Those type of performances prove what type of team we are,” he said. “I didn’t need that performance to believe that we can do something special. I think all the boys in the team believe we can do something special. It’s just putting that into training and trying to put that into the game. We were able to do that today, and hopefully we can take that into the next game.”
Garuccio is also looking forward to the big clashes with the Jets. “I’ve said it time and time again, we’ve got one of the strongest squads in the whole league, so we’ve got to show it,” he said. “And this is the time to do it.”
