Sydney aiming to get a roll on

The sides will meet in the first A-League match at ANZ Stadium with Sydney eager to build momentum after a breakthrough win over Western Sydney Wanderers last week.

While that was a hard-fought 1-0 victory there was plenty to like about Sydney's performance and it stressed the importance of backing it up against last year's grand finalist.

But stringing two wins together is easier said than done, given Sydney managed it only twice last season and once in the campaign before it.

Ian Ferguson's Perth side has developed a reputation for being physically tough and hard to break down and while it looms as Sydney's biggest test yet, Sky Blues midfielder Ali Abbas said there was nothing to fear.

"I think we are physically a good team as well and it's going down to come down to who plays better football on Sunday," Abbas said.

"I don't think it's going to be a test for us because we have good players too.

"... For us, we still are only at the beginning and I think we can challenge for the A-League (title)."

Sydney has good reason to be confident if recent history is any guide.

The Sky Blues have won six and drawn two of the teams' past eight clashes, with Glory's last win in the fixture coming in November, 2009.

The form of marquee signing Alessandro Del Piero also has Abbas upbeat, with the Italian superstar impressing in his first three A-League games and scoring twice.

"He's a different class of player," Abbas said.

"It's easy to play around him. He creates space and makes it easy for you.

"I'm lucky to be playing with one of the best players in the world and you can see on the park everyone his very happy to have him here."

Sydney coach Ian Crook hopes to field an unchanged line-up, but could lose left back Fabio to a thigh injury.

Glory will be without prolific striker Shane Smeltz (hamstring) but could call on fit-again defender Bas van den Brink.