Del Piero double not enough for troubled Sydney

Italian superstar Alessandro Del Piero scored a dazzling double but it was not enough to save troubled Sydney FC plunging to a 4-2 A-League loss to Brisbane on Friday.

Del Piero, 38, netted twice in seven minutes but the A-League champions were too strong for Sydney, who lost their coach Ian Crook during the week and are on the look out for their seventh coach in as many years.

The Italian World Cup winner went to the top of the competition's goalscoring list with five goals equal with Newcastle Jets' English international Emile Heskey.

Brisbane Roar scored three times in the first half through German playmaker Thomas Broich, Erik Paartalu and youngster Ben Halloran.

Del Piero scored a cracking volley from outside the box in the 42nd minute and four minutes after the resumption he played a sweet one-two before dummying his way past goalkeeper Michael Theo to claim his brace.

But Albanian striker Besart Berisha killed off any chance of a comeback with the Roar's fourth goal in the 56th minute.

Del Piero was largely instrumental in drawing Brisbane's highest home crowd of the season with 23,000 fans.