Manly United and Wanderers battle in entertaining draw
Honours were even in Round 28 of the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition as Manly United played out an entertaining 2-2 draw against the Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday.
The hosts produced a stirring comeback on an afternoon where the Northern Beaches side bid farewell to a pair of its stars in Matthew Sim and Bruno Mendes. Sim made it 2-1 with a curling free kick in the 40th minute before Mendes poked home to equalise.
Western Sydney Wanderers felt like this was two points dropped after having a 2-0 lead. Nicholas Milanovic opened the scoring before Oscar Priestman doubled their delight in the 28th minute before they were pegged back.
Manly United FC had a pair of early chances through Mendes who lashed an effort wide inside the box while Sim saw his shot sail wide.
The Wanderers responded with their own effort which rattled the post. Alexander Badolato found space in the box and crashed his shot against the left post.
The visitors, desperate for the points to move even further away from 15th placed Mt Druitt Town Rangers took the lead in the 11th minute. Nicholas Milanovic drove through on the right and chipped his effort over Manly United FC keeper Levi Kaye for 1-0.
Manly United FC tried to reply through Mendes. The Brazilian maestro shrugged off a defender before curling the ball past the post.
The teams traded chances in what was a very open game. Marcus Younis tried a spectacular bicycle kick for the Wanderers while Alen Aganovic drove one wide for Manly United FC.
The Wanderers doubled their delight in the 28th minute. It was a long sweeping move which ended with Oscar Priestman firing home for 2-0.
The visitors were in full flow as they looked to put the relegation battle behind them. Zachary Sapsford flashed his shot wide and in his current form, you would have thought he’d put that away.
Manly United FC needed some magic before the break. It came from one of the club’s favourite sons in Matt Sim. The busy attacker curled a free kick into the top corner on a celebratory afternoon to make it 2-1 after 40 minutes.
Coming out of the break, Wanderers felt just fine.
The visitors almost restored their two-goal advantage but Younis’ strike went straight to Kaye.
Mendes tried to provide some more Samba magic for Manly United. He bustled into the penalty area and was denied by Wanderers custodian Jack Gibson.
The game started to open up between both sides even more and Younis almost struck on the break then Mendes went close again.
Manly United FC were pushing hard for the equaliser. Harry McCarthy had his dipping effort pushed away by a diving Gibson.
Mendes was driving the Manly United FC attack and found a much deserved equaliser. He was on the spot to turn home after Gibson coughed up the ball for 2-2 in the 69th minute.
The Wanderers almost had an instant response through George Antonis. He found space and curled an effort which flicked the right post.
Both teams fought hard until the final whistle but neither could find a winner in a pulsating game on a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Cromer Park.
Post match Manly United FC stalwart Matthew Sim reflected on the game and his time at the club after his final home match.
“It was a good game for the neutral this afternoon.
“It was a nice to score in the last home game of the season especially at a club which has given me so much.
“It was the place which gave me a chance 17 years ago and the way the club has transformed has been fantastic.”
For Western Sydney Wanderers captain Jarrod Carluccio, it was a game of two halves which saw them drop two vital points in their fight to avoid a relegation playoff with a League One Men’s side.
“It was a game of two halves.
“We dominated the first half and didn’t take all our chances then conceded from a special free kick to make it 2-1.
“We didn’t find our rhythm in the second half and look to next week.
“We have worked hard all year and been undone in a few spots which has us in this situation but we have to react over the next few weeks.” said Carluccio.
Match Stats
Manly United FC 2 (Sim ‘40, Mendes ‘69)
Western Sydney Wanderers FC 2 (Milanovic ‘11, Priestman ‘28)
Saturday 12 August 2023
Cromer Park
Referee: Ben Abraham
Assistant Referees: Amirhossein Hosnani & Patrick Teleki
Fourth Official: James Markis
Manly United FC: 2. Kieren Paull, 3. Jesse Piriz, 7. Seiya Kambayashi, 8. Dominic Ferguson (14. Connor Rose ‘67), 10. Bruno Mendes (6. Finn Ashton ‘90+3), 11. Matthew Sim (12. Kristian Santich ‘73), 19. Alen Aganovic, 20. Levi Kaye, 22. Bilal Belkadi, 23. Harry McCarthy (9. Benjamin Koop ‘67), 32. Saxon Hillyer (29. Hunter Elliot ‘67)
Unused subs: 93. Montgomery Partington
Yellow cards: Hillyer ‘9, Sim ‘33, Mendes ‘45+1, Koop ‘90+2
Red cards:
Western Sydney Wanderers FC: 1. Jack Gibson, 2. Anthony Pantazopoulos, 4. Teng Koul, 6. Oscar Priestman, 7. Jarrad Carluccio, 10. Alexander Badolato (3. Joshua Hong ‘80), 11. Zachary Sapsford, 12. Nicholas Milanovic (9. Nathaniel Blair ‘59), 13. Marcus Younis (29. Edmun Haddad ‘84), 14. George Antonis (21. Adam Bugarija ‘80), 31. Aidan Simmonds
Unused subs: 20. William Loucas, 25. Ryley Hollingdale
Yellow cards: Pantazopoulos ‘31, Younis ‘38, Gibson ‘55
Red cards:
Player Ratings
3: Bruno Mendes (MUFC)
2: Alexander Badolato (WSW)
1: Matthew Sim (MUFC)
By Justin Davies (@JustDavies90)
