Sydney FC are planning to sting Kawasaki Frontale on the counter attack as they seek to end their winless record against Japanese clubs in the Asian Champions League.
Wednesday's game will be the Sky Blues' ninth against Japanese opposition and fifth away from home, logging two losses and two draws to date.
"It's a new year, the first time I've been in charge, and I'm just concentrating on winning football games," Sydney coach Steve Corica said on Tuesday.
Kawasaki, who are unbeaten in four Champions League home games against Australian teams, have won the J-League for the past two seasons but have made a slow start to the current campaign.
They are 13th after drawing all three of their games and lost their Champions League opener 1-0 at China's Shanghai SIPG last week.
"They are probably not happy with their start ... but the way they are playing, I think they play a good style of football, possession-based football, and they are a very good team," Corica said.
"We've got to be pretty compact against this team, especially away from home.
"That's where we can actually hit them on the counter attack because they throw so many bodies forward that we can quickly counter and hopefully hurt them."'
Among Corica's chief Kawasaki concerns were former Brazilian international striker Leandro Damiao and veteran playmaker Kengo Nakamura, who has played over 600 games for the club and over 60 times for Japan.
With a home A-League game against fellow finals aspirant Melbourne City next Sunday, Corica also foreshadowed at least one change to the side which drew 0-0 in Sydney with South Korea's Ulsan Hyundai last week.
"We have a plan to maybe freshen up a couple of boys," Corica said.
"We've just got to think about both games and both competitions and make sure we've got enough fresh players on Sunday as well."
Australian Associated Press
