Sydney FC suffered a reality check in Japan, after a 2-0 loss to Urawa Red Diamonds in the Asian Champions League.
An opportunistic goal from Yuki Moto and a second half penalty converted by Shinzo Koroki was enough to earn a relatively comfortable victory for the home side.
It took just eight minutes for the J-League outfit to take the lead, after a mistake from debutant Zac Anderson.
The former Central Coast Mariners centre-back was flat-footed and completely unaware, as Muto sneaked in behind and converted from close range.
Andrew Hoole wasted a glorious chance for Sydney to equalise, only for the 22-year-old to fluff his lines and shoot wide of the target.
That was a rare chance for Graham Arnold’s men, with Urawa’s high pressing causing all sorts of problems for the Sky Blues, who could not engineer consistent spells of possession.
On 64 minutes, another defensive mistake from the visitors all but sealed their fate, when Seb Ryall under-hit a back pass to goalkeeper Vedran Janjetovic that allowed Koroki to pounce and draw a carless foul in the box from the shot-stopper.
Koroki stepped up the spot and converted the penalty with aplomb to earn his side a precious three points and consign Sydney to a miserable flight home.
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