Easily snuffing out Victory’s early attempts to get things going, the Harboursiders went ahead through Adam Le Fondre just before the half an hour mark and then never looked challenged.

After Kosta Barbarouses – booed ferociously by the home fans whenever he saw the ball – made it 2-0 the writing was on the wall for the hosts, with the point rammed home in the dying stages when Baumjohan got a deserved goal.

With the Asian Champions League looming, the three points earned serves to consolidate the Sky Blues place atop the A-League table. Victory, on the other hand, are rooted in eighth place with just two points separating them from 10th place Central Coast – who have two games in hand.  

Drawing a free-kick from Ryan McGowan in the seventh minute, Victory’s Toivonen produced the contest’s first clear chance on goal when, from almost the exact same spot that he scored from in the fixture a year ago, he sent a free kick in on goal that Andrew Redmayne comfortably saved.

Redmayne remained unperturbed on Victory’s next chance in the ninth when a shot from Migjen Basha after Toivonen flicked a ball into his path failed to force him to move his feet.

With the benefit of hindsight, though, Victory’s start was the very definition of a false dawn

Floating a ball into the area in that Alex Wilkinson was just unable to nod onward in the 11th minute, the defending champions began to stir. Le Fondre just failed to turn a ball onward successfully after being picked out at close range by Joel King in the 14th.

While Victory saw some early chances, they remained frustrated in attempts to actually create some sort of clear forward strategy – or even a shot that would challenge Redmayne in the Sydney goal.

Meanwhile, despite seeing less of the ball early doors, Sydney remained as dangerous as ever when given a chance to get out and run at their opponents.

A perfect example came in the 19th minute after Andrew Nabbout went on powerful run down the right but had his final touch let him down. The visitors seized on the ball, burst forward with vim and venom, with only a professional foul from Leigh Broxham on Le Fondre stymieing the danger.

It was only a matter of time until the irrepressible machine that is Sydney FC ground away Victory’s resistance and drew first blood.

That blow was struck the 27th when, after a period of sustained pressure, a failed attempt at a clearance fell to Baumjohan just outside the box on the right-wing. The German promptly drove into the area, leave Adama Traore in his wake, and picked out Le Fondre at close range for an easy tap in.  

In contrast to Victory, whose moves forward were defined by haphazardness and lack of a clear semblance of a plan, Sydney were looking increasingly lethal with every passing minute; Miloš Ninković stinging the gloves of Thomas with a long-range effort in the 42nd minute.

In a brief showing of life, Traore and Kamsoba were able to work their way through Sydney's right flank and get a ball to Kruse in the area in the final minutes of the first half but the Socceroo winger, with perhaps too much time to think, had his resulting soft shot easily collected by Redmayne.

Despite that chance however, the Sky Blues were clearly walking it.

After Toivonen, with an open goal in front of him, somehow put a point-blank headed effort over the bar in the 49th minute, Sydney were then able to put the game to bed.

Slicing and dicing their way through the Victory lines with ease in the 53rd, Le Fondre and Baumjohann worked the ball into a pocket of open space on the right in order to allow the former to slide an inviting cross towards the six-yard-box that Barbarouses slid to meet and scramble home.

With Sydney continuing to dominate, Nabbout powered into the area swung a half-volleyed effort in on goal in the 82nd minute as he tried to lift his side but, once again, it was little trouble for Redmayne, who saved comfortably.

Just three minutes later Ninković and Baumjohann had the final words.

Working his way into space, substitute and human victory cigar Luke Ivanovic played a ball to the feet of his Serbian teammate at the top of the area.

Though his first touch was heavy, Ninković nonetheless was able to get to the ball ahead of three converging defenders and Thomas and promptly slid a pass across to an open Baumjohann – who fired home into an open net.

Quite literally flexing on the home fans to celebrate, the German was clearly feeling himself but the smile was wiped off his face in the 94th minute when a flailing arm thrown out as he went to ground caught the face of Broxham.

He was shown a straight red for the blow while Broxham, who had brought him down to begin with, saw his second yellow of the evening for the challenge.

Problems remain at AAMI Park

Kurz might have been shown the door at AAMI Park a week and a half ago but the problems, it appears, have not departed with him.

Though they flashed some positive signs early, Victory were clearly the second-best side on the park on Friday night; a Sydney side that looked like they weren’t even approaching top gear working their way through the Victory ranks with an almost casual ease time after time after time.

While it must be acknowledged that Victory was operating without their three first-choice centre backs for the contest – James Donachie suspended, Tommy Deng with the Olyroos and Tim Hoogland on the shelf with injury – Victory’s almost complete absence of a midfield meant that it would have been difficult going for any backline, let alone one fielding a player – Ben Carrigan – making his A-League starting debut.  

The quartet of Ninković, Baumjohann, Le Fondre and Barbarouses were able to go about their business with ever-increasing impunity as the contest wore on, while Victory was forced to scratch and claw for their few chances.

"We need to take positive things because we are not in a good moment," Carlos Salvachúa said post-game. "And we need to continue with this group of players and we have to find some positives. We can't stop here.

"As well, we can talk about excuses, the time and the training, but during the 90 minutes we have to do different things."

Though he was able to get a win over Bali United mid-week, Salvachúa has now lost both of his A-League games in charge at AAMI Park. And though he should be able to add Marco Rojas to his line-up in coming weeks – Victory’s new signing not receiving his international clearance in time to play against Sydney – the problems his side has in midfield and defence won’t go away with the Kiwi Messi’s introduction.

Difficult Roads Ahead

The three points earned on Friday night sends the Sky Blues 11 points clear atop the A-League table with a game-in-hand over closest rivals Melbourne City, who will meet Perth Glory at the same venue tomorrow night.

Visits to Jubilee Stadium by Brisbane Roar and the struggling Western Sydney Wanderers will follow in the coming weeks before they commence their Asian Champions League campaign against the winner of a Tuesday-night play-off between Chinese side Shanghai SIPG and Thai club Buriram United on February 12.

Though the load-management challenges of juggling an ACL campaign and the A-League season are a danger, Sydney should be expected to take six points from Roar and Wanderers out of those fixtures to maintain their double-digit lead on the table.

The extra breathing room should allow them to pour all of their focus into what awaits them on February 19 – a mouth-watering clash between the defending A-League champions and Ange Postecoglou’s Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan.

"When that starts we'll address that," Corica "But I think in the A-League we want to keep improving. As you can see by the boys they're very hungry to win games and work hard for each other. There's a great bond between these boys. 

"It's a very good league, the ACL. It's a good competition and it's exciting for the players to be involved in that. 

"We failed in that last season. I thought we played extremely well in the ACL for little reward so obviously the aim is to go better and make it through to the next round. 

Conversely, Victory’s next trip to the Land of the Rising Sun is set to arrive a lot sooner; Salvachúa’s group travelling to face Kashima Antlers on Tuesday night. It will get no easier on their return, set to face Perth Glory next Saturday night. 

Andrew Nabbout

It’s no secret that Nabbout is in the midst of a form slump right now.

While he has scored three times in 2019/20, including against Newcastle just three weeks ago, he has consistently found himself in positions where he should have scored many, many more.  

His struggles against Adelaide, where he failed to net on a number of chances that would of brought his side level, brought him in for significant stick by the Victory faithful and his profligacy then continued against Bali United on Tuesday.

On Friday night, the 27-year-old was able to repeatedly hustle and bustle his way forward and on a number of occasions was able to break containment.

However, his final touch was consistently lacking

The pushing and shove that broke out between himself and a number of Sydney players in the wake of the double red card were revealing of the frustration that Nabbout must be feeling, as the high expectations that followed him back to Melbourne were left unmet in yet another game.

He is clearly a player that is capable of getting into excellent positions on the pitch through the use of his excellent physical attributes. In almost every game that he plays, he is going to be one of, if not the, fastest and strongest players out there.

However, unless he is able to start demonstrating that he has the touch to capitalise on the spaces that he finds himself in, and find his shooting boots, the questions over what exactly his role in Victory’s high-powered is will continue to grow.