Nine-goal thriller as Wanderers grab valuable victory

Western Sydney Wanderers and Sydney United 58 produced one of the matches of the season at Sydney United Sports Centre on Saturday night with the Wanderers prevailing 6-3 in a much needed victory for the relegation-threatened side.
Teng Kuol and Ariath Piol had the visitors 2-0 up heading into halftime before a crazy second half unfolded.
Glen Trifiro’s goal for United in the 57th minute was quickly cancelled out by Piol’s second before Blair extended Western Sydney’s lead in the 71st minute.
Patrick Antelmi switched the momentum back in United’s favour just two minutes later, however, Zachary Sapsford’s wonder goal put the Wanderers back in control almost straight away.
Trifiro buried a brilliant free-kick with eight minutes to play to put the pressure on Western Sydney, but visitors’ substitute Tommy Edmonds put the result beyond doubt three minutes later.
United 58 had the first chance of the match six minutes in when Matthew Bilic’s powerful volley from the left of the box swerved just past the far post.
The Wanderers went close to scoring midway through the half.
Piol forced stand-in United 58 goalkeeper Luke Cukar into a sharp save down to his left with his effort from the right edge of the box.
The visitors continued to threaten from corners and made the most of one in the 27th minute to take the lead.
Jesse Cameron’s inswinger from the left found Kuol in the middle who guided home a headed effort from close in.
The hosts almost responded four minutes later when Yianni Fragogiannis lined up a fierce strike from the right edge of the box that bounced just past the left post.
The side continued to put Western Sydney under pressure after conceding, but a series of blocks kept the Wanderers in front.
Despite the pressure, an incisive counter-attack down the left in the 41st minute doubled Western Sydney’s lead.
Piol making room for a shot on the edge of the box and seeing it squeeze past Cukar at the near post.
Sydney United 58 went straight down the other end with Patrick Antelmi’s neat turn outside the box setting the forward up for a shot that Wanderers’ goalkeeper Lawrence Caruso batted away.
It was a fast-paced start to the second period with both teams having chances to score before Sydney United 58 halved the deficit in the 57th minute.
Antelmi with some clever footwork on the edge of the box before he poked the ball through for substitute Trifiro inside the area who buried it low into the left side of the net.
However, a characterful response from Western Sydney meant they equalised just three minutes later.
Blair made his way into the right of the box before squaring it to Piol who fired home into the left of the goal.
The goals kept flying in at Sydney United Sports Centre with the Wanderers notching their fourth 71 minutes in.
Piol released Blair into the right channel who showed sensational poise to get past United skipper Adrian Vlastelica in the box and blast the ball past Cukar into the top left corner.
The hosts hit back straight away though with Trifiro’s header playing in Antelmi who prodded the ball into the right of the goal.
It was Western Sydney’s turn for an instant response; Zachary Sapsford curling in a phenomenal effort from the left of the box that looped over Cukar and into the far corner.
Incredibly, the goals just continued coming as Glen Trifiro fired a well-struck free-kick from the left that went over the wall and in to get Sydney United’s deficit back to two in the 82nd minute.
With United 58 pushing numbers forward, the away side had chances to secure the game.
With five minutes to go, Wanderers’ substitutes combined with Edmun Haddad’s low right-sided cross converted by Edmonds.
Blair went close to his second of the match two minutes later when he rolled his shot agonisingly wide of the right post.
It didn’t matter in the end with Western Sydney Wanderers earning a vital victory in their bid to avoid relegation.
Match Stats
Sydney United 58 FC 3 (Glen Trifiro 57’ 82’, Patrick Antelmi 73’)
Western Sydney Wanderers FC 6 (Teng Kuol 27’, Ariath Piol 41’ 60’, Nathaniel Blair 71’, Zachary Sapsford 76’, Tommy Edmonds 85’)
Saturday 10 June 2023
Sydney United Sports Centre, Edensor Park
Referee: Hassan Jomaa
Assistant Referees: Matthew Harrison and Arinath Gobinath
Fourth Official: Mikayla Ryan
Sydney United 58 FC: 20. Luke Cukar (GK), 3. Bailey Rule, 4. Adrian Vlastelica (C), 5. Anthony Tomelic, 9. Patrick Antelmi, 10. Devante Clut, 11. Yianni Perkatis (18. Glen Trifiro 46’), 12. Hiyori Kawaguchi (6. Christopher Payne 46’), 14. Andreas Agamemnonos (2. Cristian Gonzalez 62’), 17. Matthew Bilic, 21. Yianni Fragogiannis
Substitutes Not Used: 7. Taisei Kaneko, 19. Ante Vojvodic, 50. Ryan Warner (GK)
Yellow Cards: Anthony Tomelic 33’
Red Cards: Nil
Western Sydney Wanderers FC: 20. Lawrence Caruso (GK), 4. Teng Kuol (12. Edmond Lupancu 83’), 5. Luca Pecora, 9. Nathaniel Blair, 11. Zachary Sapsford (35. Tommy Edmonds 83’), 14. George Antonis (C), 22. Jesse Cameron, 23. Mason Fernandez (25. Ryley Hollingdale 67’), 26. Yannis Frerck, 27. Farah Koko (21. Adam Bugarija 46’), 77. Ariath Piol (29. Edmun Haddad 74’)
Substitutes Not Used: 30. William Loucas (GK)
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3 – Ariath Piol (WSW)
2 – Nathaniel Blair (WSW)
1 – Glen Trifiro (SU58)
Report by Timothy Gibson, on Twitter @Timg123_