Sydney FC warmed up for the A-League Men finals series by recording the biggest win of Ufuk Talay's reign in a 7-1 crushing of a hapless Perth Glory.
If it weren't for goalkeeper Oli Sail, Sydney could have reached double figures against a Glory side outgunned in every department at Allianz Stadium on Sunday.
Joe Lolley and Robert Mak scored two goals apiece for Sydney, and at times it looked as if Talay's men were on the training ground, such was the ease at which they cut through the Glory defence.
But Sydney will need to step things up against Macarthur, who they will meet in an elimination final next weekend.
Sydney lost to a nine-man Bulls outfit last week and will have to check on the fitness of striker Fabio Gomes, sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Macarthur will certainly put up a sterner fight than the Glory, who were already condemned to the wooden spoon before a ball was kicked on Sunday.
But any suggestion Alen Stajcic's men were playing for pride was dispelled when Sydney took the lead after just five minutes.
Mak floated in a free kick from the left flank and the Glory defence stood flat-footed as Sydney left-back Jordan Courtney-Perkins headed home.
Sydney continued to break into the Perth half with ease and Lolley was particularly menacing, twice flashing shots wide of Sail's posts.
It was a warning the Glory failed to heed when Lolley linked up with Jaiden Kucharski on the edge of the Perth box.
Kurcharski's shot was well saved by Sail, but Lolley was there to hit home the rebound to double Sydney's lead in the 41st minute.
No sooner had the game restarted than Sydney were on the attack once more, and this time they got a penalty when a Corey Hollman pass was handled by Giordano Colli inside the Glory box.
Sydney skipper Luke Brattan scored from the spot to give his side a 3-0 halftime lead, before he was taken off for Jack Rodwell at the break.
Without their captain Sydney appeared to lose a touch of their intensity and Perth were able to hit back through a 58th-minute strike from Adam Taggart.
The close-range finish was the forward's 20th of an otherwise miserable campaign for the Glory.
Mak quickly restored Sydney's three-goal buffer and then added his second of the afternoon by rounding Sail and tucking the ball home.
Joel King, who was subbed on for Courtney-Perkins, continued the annihilation, before a long-range Lolley effort completed the rout.
Australian Associated Press
