The 30-year-old, who started his career in Australia's top flight with the Phoenix in 2007, had gone more than a year without a goal from open play.

He struck twice on Monday for the champion, though, becoming just the sixth player to reach 70 A-League goals in the competition's history.

Barbarouses opened the scoring against the run of play with a fine finish 32 minutes in and fired home a second midway through the second half.

The visitor, which hit the crossbar twice through Ulises Davila and Louis Fenton and out-shot Sydney 20 to seven, could only manage an injury-time consolation through Davila's deflected effort.

They stayed second-bottom with four points from five matches, while Sydney climbed to third, five behind leader Central Coast Mariners but with two games in hand.