The Marconi Stallions and Western Sydney Wanderers shared points in an aggressive game of football at Fairfield Showground on Sunday night as the match ended in a thrilling 3-3 all-draw.
The Wanderers put on a performance that was very contradictory with their position on the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s ladder as they look to climb out of the relegation zone this season.
It was back and forth for the whole match as two goals for the Wanderers from Nicolas Milanovic and one from Alexander Badolato were cancelled out by goals to Kyle Cimenti, Hirokai Aoyama and Martin Fernandez for the Stallions.
Just three minutes in, Marconi had their first opportunity, pouncing on a mistake from the Wanderers to quickly push forward.
Matthew Hatch used his pace to weave through the visitors defence before sending the ball across to the centre of the goal, but no one was able to finish.
Just moments later the Wanderers retaliated and managed to convert their chance to be the first on the scoreboard in the 4th minute.
An error from the hosts in the centre of the park gave the Wanderers the ball and a long ball met Hatch at the back line, but his touch saw Milanovic take the ball and go one-on-one with the goalkeeper before clinically putting away his chance.
It wasn’t long until Marconi would work their way back in the game, with Cimenti putting away one for the hosts in the 12th minute.
Daniel Bouman started the play with a promising forward run before passing to an on-running Hatch.
Some combination play in the 18-yard box saw Cimenti with the ball in prime position and he had no hesitation in passing the ball into the bottom corner of the netting against his former club.
After plenty of back and forth, both sides hit the sheds at the half with a goal a piece.
There was plenty of energy on the park in the second half and it wasn’t long until Western Sydney took back the lead.
Nathaneal Blair made a fast-paced run to rip through the centre of the park in the 51st minute and played through to Milanovic, who slid the ball past James Hilton to take the lead.
Marconi looked poised to score in the 53rd minute as pressure on Western Sydney from Aoyama saw Marko Jesic with the ball on the edge of the 18-yard box.
Jesic crossed the ball into the area but Cimenti’s shot flew above the crossbar.
The Stallions continued applying pressure and evened the score for a second time in the 59th minute.
Samuel Gulisano played the ball through to Aoyama on the edge of the 18-yard box who sent the ball to the bottom right corner with a clean finish.
Wanderers were quick to retaliate, taking the lead for the third time in the match in the 65th minute.
Zac Sapsford received the ball from substitute Badolato and made a forward run before passing back to Badolato in front of goal, who tapped it in cleanly.
In a game of constant back and forth it was back to a level playing field in the 74th minute as Marconi substitute Martin Fernandez sent a ball through Wanderers back line and into the goal from range.
Both sides continued creating opportunities with much ferocity until the dying moments of the game, but it ended with shared points between the two.
Marconi Assistant coach Peter Papoythis gave credit to the performance of their opponents in the match.
“I gather that they came prepared,” he said.
“Every team that comes to play Marconi knows that we don’t take a backward step and full credit to them for having a go.
“That’s not a youth team that’s a very good team and I cannot understand how they’re sitting second last all season but it’s part of the process for them to learn a little, but I’m not happy with a draw, we missed some absolute sitters at the end there.
“Any other day we could have put that team away and gone away with an extra two or three goals.
Western Sydney Wanderers coach Andrew Christiansen explained that his side’s ability and performances are at odds with their position on the ladder.
“I think that’s the story of our season,” he explained.
“We’re a good team, and I don’t feel we deserve to be down the bottom of the table, but the results are the results.
“I believe in the group and I believe that we’ll get out of this position.
“If we keep believing, keep trusting the process. I think we’ll think we’ll have a good end to the year.
“We’re an aggressive team, the way we play, we backed ourselves against whoever we play, we want to contest everything, we want to press, we want to bring the ball back, we want to play forward and we won’t back down against anyone so full respect to all of our oppositions, Marconi today, but we’re not holding back against anyone.
“Trust the process is our message to the group and the boys are sticking to that, they’re believing in each other.
“The results will come.
“We’re fighting and we’re going to trust the process.”
Match Stats
Marconi Stallions FC 3 (Cimenti 12’, Aoyama 59’, Fernandez 74’)
Western Sydney Wanderers FC 3 (Milanovic 4’, 51’, Badolato 65’)
Saturday 15th July, 2023
Fairfield Showground, Fairfield
Referee: Nick Gela
Assistant Referees: Matthew Harris and James Makris
Marconi Stallions FC: 24. James Hilton, 2. Nathan Millgate, 8. Hirokai Aoyama, 9. Jordan Swibel, 10. Marko Jesic, 11. Daniel Bouman (21. Justin Vidic), 12. Samuel Gulisano (17. Martin Fernandez), 13. Aleksandar Duricic (5. Liam McGing), 19. Kyle Cimenti, 23. Brandon Vella, 39. Matthew Hatch
Substitutes Not Used: 7. Christopher Hatfield, 20. Jack Gibson, 22. Taylor McDonald
Yellow Cards: Hatch 6’, Duricic 59’, Millgate 75’, Jesic 85’, Vella 95’
Red Cards: Nil
Western Sydney Wanderers FC: 1. William Loucas, 2. Anthony Pantazopoulos, 3. Joshua Hong, 4. Teng Kuol, 6. Oscar Priestman, 7. Jarrod Carluccio, 9. Nathanael Blair, 11. Zachary Sapsford (7. Sunday Yona 91’), 12. Nicolas Milanovic (10. Alexander Badolato), 14. George Antonis, 31. Aidan Simmons
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Marcus Patrivski, 21. Adam Bugarija, 22. Jesse Cameron, 25. Ryley Hollingdale
Yellow Cards: Hong 18’, Simmons 80’, Kuol 84’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings
3 – Nicolas Milanovic (WSW)
2 – Hirokai Aoyama (MS)
1 – Nathaneal Blair (WSW)
-By Madeline Riley
