Entertaining draw as Wanderers and Ilinden share the spoils
The Western Sydney Wanderers and Rockdale Ilinden have put together an attacking masterpiece at Wanderers Football Park earning themselves a point a piece in a thrilling 3-3 draw on Saturday night.
In what was a must-win game for both clubs, it didn’t take long for Rockdale to find the first opportunity of the game. After a shock 4-0 defeat last weekend against Wollongong Wolves, they nearly got to the best start possible.
Earning a free kick in the 3rd minute of the game, Bai Antoniou hit the ball just a tiny bit too powerful as it launched above the crossbar.
The Wanderers were quick to bounce back, earning their opening opportunity in the same way- a free kick in the 6th minute.
Looking to earn his first goal in Wanderers’ colours, skipper Nicolas Milanovic hit the ball cleanly with his left foot and was centimetres away from scoring one of the goals of the season.
However, it was not to be.
The strike by Milanovic was hit too cleanly and bounced right off the top right-hand corner of the crossbar before being bundled out by the visiting team.
Milanovic would last less than a minute before he was at the forefront of the action once again. As the Wanderers whipped the ball in from the corner spot, it found the head of Milanovic, scoring a well-deserved goal.
Continuing to use the game plan of attack, attack, and attack shocked Rockdale, especially their defence.
As the ball was at the feet of the home side’s captain, Milanovic provided a beautiful assist to Marcus Younis. Setting up Younis – he had no problem doubling the scoreline in the 18th minute.
The winger scored by kicking the ball across the goal and the body of Rockdale’s goalkeeper Ricardo Rizzo. However, it was later classified as an own goal, as Nikola Ujdur had the last touch.
On the verge of getting back into the match, Brendan Cholakian was gifted a golden opportunity in the 35th minute by Jaden Casella in front of the net but unfortunately dragged it wide of Lawrence Caruso.
Looking like their absolute best, Rockdale’s attacking prowess continued.
In the 37th minute, in what looked like a potential cross by Antoniou, it found the back of the net- confusing both Caruso and the Wanderers’ defenders.
While it looked like Antoniou had gifted the visiting team a lifeline, the Wanderers would make it 3-1 through Nathanael Blair in the 39th minute.
On the counter-attack, Blair pounced on a bouncing ball and ran half the field before adding his sixth goal of the campaign.
With the time ticking down to halftime, Rockdale made sure to shed the difference to 3-2.
Relatively quiet for the majority of the opening 45 minutes, the return from suspension Alec Urosevski wouldn’t remain off the scoresheet for long.
A cross floated to the back post was deflected towards the feet of Urosevski, who had no trouble securing his 19th goal this season.
After one of the best opening 45 minutes of the season, it took a while for the two clubs to get going in the second forty-five.
The first real opportunity of the second half didn’t happen until the 63rd minute of the match.
After the ball got past Joshua Hong, Urosevski quickly launched on it and was given lots of space until the goal.
However, converted centre-back Teng Kuol delivered a goal-saving dive as the ball left the Rockdale skipper’s feet.
This was quickly followed by two counter-attacking chances by Sunday Yona- competing in his first game for the Western Sydney side. While neither didn’t amount to anything challenging for Rizzo, he increased the intensity of the game.
It wasn’t until the 76th minute that Rockdale was able to make the scores level. Brendan Cholakian disposed Aidan Simmons, leading to yet another goal for their captain Urosevski who notched up his 20th of the year.
As the score remained 3-3, both managers decided to make substitutions to change the game’s tempo. Lawrence Caruso produced a multitude of excellent saves, his best save occurring after a Cholakian shot in the 87th minute.
Entering injury time, the two clubs traded chances aiming to outdo one another.
Adam Bugarija would hit the post, whilst Urosevski failed to make it a hat-trick after being stopped by Caruso.
It was to be a sour ending for Ilinden’s newest recruit Diego Celis, who following his move from APIA, was shown a red card following his second caution of the match.
Speaking to Football NSW post-match, Sunday Yona in his first-match for the club described what wearing the jersey meant to him and how he thought the game went after the Wanderers gave up a 2-0 lead
“It’s just a start to a new journey and I just want to do the best for me and for the team,” he said.
“I think we did well. You can see we dominated the first half and second and I reckon they just got three lucky goals (against us).”
Match Stats
Western Sydney Wanderers FC 3 (Milanovic 7’ Ujdur 18’ (OG) Blair 39’)
Rockdale Ilinden FC 3 (Antoniou 37’ Urosevski 44’ 76’)
Saturday 1 July 2023
Wanderers Football Park, Rooty Hill
Referee: Adrian Arndt
Assistant Referees: Matt Staples and Maggie Price
Fourth Official: Hayden Langholz
Western Sydney Wanderers FC: 3. Joshua Hong 6. Oscar Preistman 7. Jarrod Carluccio 9. Nathanael Blair 11. Nicolas Milanovic (C) (21. Adam Bugarija 80’) 13. Marcus Younis (10. Alexander Badolato 69’) 14. George Antonis 20. Lawrence Caruso (GK) 24. Teng Kuol 27. Farah Koko (26. Sunday Yona 64’) 31. Aidan Simmons
Substitutions Not Used: 12. Edmond Lupancu 25. Ryley Hollingdale 30. William Loucas (GK)
Yellow Cards: Hong 62’
Red Cards: None
Rockdale Ilinden FC: 4. Nikola Ujdur 7. Alec Urosevski (C) 8. Isaac Danzo 9. Bai Antoniou 10. Brendan Cholakian (16. Brae Ovens90+6) 11. Lochlan Constable (21. Diego Celis 28’) 14. Brayden Sorge 15. Jamie Percevski (2. Daniel Collins 46’) 20. Ricardo Rizzo (GK) 23. Jaden Casella (17. Iain Ramsay 46’) 66. Mathieu Cordier
Substitutions Not Used: 26. James Husoy (GK) 42. Benjamin Wass
Yellow Cards: Percevski 5’ Cellis 55’
Red Cards: Cellis 90+3’
Player Ratings:
3- Nicolas Milanovic (Western Sydney Wanderers FC)
2- Teng Kuol (Western Sydney Wanderers FC)
1- Alec Urosevski (Rockdale Ilinden FC)
By Ethan Lee Chalk
