A disappointed Sydney FC coach Frank Farina has lamented his side’s lack of discipline as they went down 2-1 to Central Coast Mariners on Saturday in Gosford in round 21 A-League action.
The Sky Blues responded with purpose after falling behind to a 26th minute free kick to Mariners South Korean recruit Kim Seung-Yong.
Sydney FC falls to fifth on the ladder after the loss and hosts second-placed Western Sydney Wanderers next Saturday night at Allianz Stadium.
"That first half we were our own first enemies, we would win the ball but we would give it away too cheaply or too easily and that’s an area we are constantly saying we have got to improve and that’s coming down to either bad decision or bad passes and then we are on the back foot," Farina said.
"In the first half we wanted to keep possession and run them around coming off the week they have had (playing in Korea in the AFC Champions League) but we didn’t do that well enough.
"We were saying 'keep the ball, keep moving it from side to side, make them run and they will tire in the second half.
"But we turned over too much possession in that first half without any real pressure."
"I thought we come out in the second half and got ourselves back into the game," he said.
"When Liam Reddy gets three points (man of the match on Fox Sports coverage) I suppose that says a bit.
"I think in that final third we have got to improve in terms of most probably finishing and some decisions in there."
Gameiro, one of Sydney’s more industrious first half players, "wasn't playing poorly," said Farina.
"Richie is very experienced in that role, he is strong in the air as well.
"Most probably he is still a little bit off (playing) 90 minutes.
"As I said we weren’t holding enough possession we were losing it and he is someone who can hold it up and give us time to get the midfield forward and the defence forward as well."
Farina praised Garcia's classy angled goal "It was a very good finish, it was a great finish."
"We created enough chances there to warrant more than one goal.
"But as happens when you are pushing you are going to get opened up at the back.
"We went with three at the back when I bought young Alex (Urosevski) on as it was a game I wanted to get something out of."
