Steve Corica sent Sydney FC to within one point of the lead in their Asian Champions League group by inspiring the Blues to a 3-0 victory over Persik Kediri at a wet Parramatta Stadium.

The veteran midfielder scored twice to boost his ACL tally to four goals in as many games as Sydney avenged their upset loss to Persik a fortnight ago to surge back into quarter-final contention.

Corica scored in the 54th and 90th minutes in a breathtaking display, with Alex Brosque opening his tournament account in the 73rd.

The victory leaves the inaugural A-League champions just one point behind group E leaders Urawa Red Diamonds after the Japanese champions drew 0-0 with 10-man Shanghai Shenhua in China.

Sydney host Shanghai at Aussie Stadium next month before travelling to Japan to play Urawa on May 23 in the final, and likely deciding, group game. Only the top team from each pool progresses to the knockout stage.

Corica has been arguably Sydney's best performer of the ACL, and was again immense.

In the 54th he was on the spot to hammer home the winner after a diving Persik goalkeeper Kurnia Sandy could manage to only palm away David Zdrilic's powerful header.

Up to that stage, the Indonesian champions had again looked to have had Sydney's measure.

Two weeks ago Kediri stunned Sydney 2-1 in steamy Solo City.

They continued to frustrate the Blues, who took some time to come to terms with the slippery conditions and had a goal denied by the referee late in the first half.

Corica's goal, though, opened the floodgates.

Brosque scored from a well-taken volley. Terry McFlynn crossed to the top of box for Zdrilic, who's back header fell perfectly for Brosque to side-foot the ball off the right post and into the back of the net.

Corica then capped the win in the shadows of fulltime, side-footing Ufuk Talay's cross past reserve goalkeeper Wahyudi to again send the 10,070-strong crowd into raptures.

Persik had allowed Sydney to control much of the play, sitting back patiently in their own half, looking for opportunities to counter attack.

Brosque should have put the home side ahead on 20 minutes, but misjudged a free header from close range.

Sydney thought they had broke the deadlock in the 37th minute when Mark Rudan headed home Corica's pin-point free kick, only to have Vietnamese referee Minh Tri Vo deny the goal after ruling Rudan had pushed a Persik defender.

Kediri's best chance of the night came just after the half-hour when striker Cristian Gonzalez forced Blues goalkeeper Clint Bolton into make a difficult diving save.

Persik were forced to replace their goalkeeper in the 64th minute when Sandy was stretchered off with an apparent hand injury - suffered when Zdrilic inadvertently kicked the 'keeper.

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