Sydney FC star Milos Ninkovic says a lack of goals making Sky Blues’ push for title particularly difficult

Sydney FC star Milos Ninkovic has lamented his team’s inability to score enough goals to sustain a title push, an issue highlighted by the fact Sydney has scored more than one goal only twice in past nine games.

Milos Ninkovic and his Sydney FC teammates during training session. Picture: Getty Images

Downcast Sydney FC star Milos Ninkovic has lamented his team’s recurring inability to score enough goals to sustain a title push, warning the Sky Blues that they need more composure at vital moments.

TOOTHLESS: SKY BLUES LOOSEN GRIP IN SECOND PLACE

ON FIRE: LIVERPOOL TURNS UP HEAT ON MAN CITY

Sunday night’s 2-0 defeat at home to Melbourne City was Sydney’s first scoreless outing of the season — but their total is sounding alarms, as Steve Corica’s side wrestles with Melbourne Victory for second place.

After 22 rounds, Sydney have their second lowest average goals ratio of their past five seasons, at 1.64 goals average per game.

At the same stage in the past two seasons Sydney were averaging 2.45 per game (last season) and 2.05 (in 2016-17), indicating the major reason why their hold on the Premier’s Plate has all but slipped away.

Victory are just a point behind Sydney now, and will play them in less than three weeks in what is shaping to be a playoff for second place.

Ninkovic admitted the struggle to score had blighted his side for much of the campaign, having recorded just one goal himself this season.

“I think we have the same problem as before, we create some chances but unfortunately we can't score goals,” he said.

“I think we had that problem as soon as we started the season — if you look at our results, we hardly ever score more than two goals.

“If you look at the games, and how we play, even in the first half against City, we did well. We kept the ball and created chances, but couldn't score goals.

Reza Ghoochannejhad (right) and Milos Ninkovic celebrate a rare goal in recent weeks.

“It's not up to the coach. We need to be more ruthless in front of goal. It's not about the coach, only the players have to score. The coach can't come on the pitch and score goals.”

Ninkovic admitted the current Sky Blue side was suffering in comparison with the last two campaigns, and called for cool heads when chances present themselves.

“If you look at the last two years, every shot on goal basically was a goal,” he said. “Sometimes this happens in football, and also it happens for the strikers sometimes that they can't score a goal in many games.

Milos Ninkovic says the club’s struggle to score had blighted his side for much of the campaign, having recorded just one goal himself this season.

“I hope that when the playoffs (finals) start we will be more relaxed in front of goal. Sometimes I think we rush too much, especially when we are in the final third.

“Now we have a break and maybe it's good for us, not having a game next week. It will help us to freshen up and be ready for the next game against Brisbane.”

Corica claimed to be less concerned about the goalscoring ratio, and defended new signing Reza Ghoochannejhad whose seven A-League and Asian Champions League games for Sydney have brought just one goal.

“We brought Reza in, he's a quality player who we want to score more goals — and we will,” Corica said. “They've got a good combination going, him and Le Fondre.

“We need more goals of course — we're creating many chances and should be scoring more. But I'd be more worried if we weren't creating the chances.”