It was another ideal test as we count down to the big kick-off in the Premier League – Brentford away, 22 August – with the hosts runners-up in last season’s A-League Grand Fina, a team with a possession-based philosophy confident of playing out from the back.
Mathys Tel, bright again on the left, gave us the lead with a fine free-kick into the top corner on 29 minutes at the Allianz Stadium. Sydney levelled somewhat fortuitously on 54 minutes when Kota Takia inadvertently diverted a pass into the path of Takahiro Sekine, who finished one-on-one.
Andy Robertson made his first appearance off the bench for the start of the second half alongside Sandro Tonali. However, it was another substitute, Luca Williams-Barnett, who caught the eye again with his direct running – he then stole the show in the penalty shoot-out with a ‘Panenka’ finish in the first penalty of the shoot-out, which we won 4-2.
Speaking afterwards, Roberto said: “I think we played well, especially in the first half. In the second half, we changed many players, but good quality of play, good performances today and I think we are working very well with the younger players.
“It's not so easy because we have to be focused, we don't take risks. We have to manage the minutes we give to the players, every player has a different plan, but I think we are working well. The young players are doing very well, they give us more solutions. This period of the season it's very important to improve the physical condition, the quality of the play but we can't take risks to lose any player.
“The physical condition is not the same for every player. Some players are ready to play 70 minutes, 80 minutes, naybe Archie Gray, Ben Davies, Mateus Fernandes, even (though) today he didn't play, and someone is going in the right direction, Gallagher is another player who is able to play 80 minutes, like Matys Tel, like Manor Solomon, like Richarlison.
“Other players, they are working to increase their condition, but I think all teams, also Chelsea, also Liverpool or other teams with a lot of players who played in the World Cup, I think they are spending the same time.”
On Robertson’s first appearance and Tonali’s return, he added: “Two big players for us, different players, special players. I think they are not ready yet to play (90 minutes) because normally we are working to improve their physical condition, I’m very happy to work with them.”