Young Wanderers stun Wolves

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The Western Sydney Wanderers continued its impressive run in the 2024 National Premier Leagues Men’s NSW competition following a 2-0 away victory against the high flying Wollongong Wolves at WIN Stadium albeit without several of their major stars on Sunday. 

The likes of first team players Anthony Pantazopoulos, Marcus Younis, Nathanael Blair, Alexander Badolato, Aydan Hammond and Zach Sapsford were all missing from the Wanderers side but that did little to deter the confidence of the much younger Wanderers squad members on show.

There was never a dull moment in the game, as chances for both teams were constant throughout.

The away side took the lead 78 minutes in through Ryley Hollingdale before Leon Alizart added a second in the dying embers.

Western Sydney had the first shot of the match three minutes in when Awan Lual shovelled an effort over from the right of the box.

A couple of minutes later, the hosts were awarded a free-kick on the right that Christopher McStay fired goalwards, forcing Taiga Harper into a sharp save low at his left post.

The Wanderers took the ball down the other end seconds after as Edmun Haddad saw a shot fly narrowly past the right post.

The Wolves came close 16 minutes in through Alex Masciovecchio, who found space in the right of the box and dragged his strike just past the far post.

Three minutes later, fullback Dylan Ryan tested Harper’s glove work with a vicious shot from a tight angle on the left, but the Wanderers’ shot stopper pulled off a top save.

The visitors returned fire midway through the half through Haddad, who took aim from a central position outside the area, which required Vedran Janjetovic to bat it away.

They came forward again in the 27th minute when Antony Barbic found space at the far post following a right-sided corner, heading innocuously onto the base of the upright.

Wollongong finished the half strongly with two chances in the final six minutes.

Thirty-nine minutes in, a right-sided corner found Dylan Ryan in the middle, but the defender did not direct his header on target.

Three minutes later, Masciovecchio had a golden chance for the home side, receiving the ball from the left inside the box, but he scooped it over.

Despite both teams having chances to score, they remained unseparated at the break.

The Wanderers had a great opportunity to take the lead soon after halftime, with Andre Takami bundling over Phillip Gigliotti in the box in the 49th minute.

Lual took responsibility and sought out the bottom right corner, but Janjetovic got down low and pulled off a vital save.

Four minutes later, the side went close again when a ball flashed across the goal line from left to right, where Jesse Cameron struck Janjetovic from very close in.

The home side responded on the hour mark when Buesnel got up at the far post from a left-sided corner, heading just wide.

Wollongong had another chance 64 minutes in through Jake Trew, who muscled his way into the right of the box, but Harper was equal to his shot.

Two minutes later, Takumi Ofuka almost backed up last week’s hat-trick with a goal, but he rolled his shot from the left of the box straight at Harper.

The chances kept flowing freely as Adam Bugarija became the latest to test Janjetovic; his low shot towards the left post was saved well by the former A-Leagues goalkeeper.

Trew almost scored in the 76th minute when he raced through on goal one-on-one with Harper, but the goalkeeper pulled off a big save yet again.

The away side made the breakthrough a couple of minutes later.

Hollingdale had a long-range right-footed strike that caught Janjetovic out and nestled in the bottom left corner.

The Wanderers did not rest on their laurels. With one minute of regular time remaining, they scored another goal.

Substitute Leon Alizart with an accurate finish from the top of the box into the bottom right corner.

The hosts threw everything forward in a desperate attempt to get anything from the game.

In the third minute of stoppage time, youngster Thomas Dunn’s looping effort bounced back off the bar.

Western Sydney saw out what remained to secure a mammoth victory in Wollongong.

Wanderers coach Andrew Christiansen said he was proud of the maturity shown in the team’s performance but felt they were always capable of pulling this result off.

“It was a monster effort from our group,” he said.

“That was a grind.

“That’s a young team, but they got to show themselves today, and they did that.

“This group had a really strong preseason, and they’re a top bunch.

“Wollongong are an excellent team so buzzing with that result.”

Wollongong midfielder Samuel Riak was disappointed with his team’s performance because they did not take their chances.

“Obviously it wasn’t the best game from us but we chances to put the game away early in the second half,” he said.

“Western Sydney are a good team. Credit to them.

“They got what they probably deserved on the day.”

Match Stats

Wollongong Wolves FC 0

Western Sydney Wanderers FC 2 (Ryley Hollingdale 78’, Leon Alizart 89’)

Sunday 24 March 2024

WIN Stadium, Wollongong

Referee: Jake Rose

Assistant Referees: Connor Mead and Cameron Wright

Fourth Official: Hayden Michlmayr

Wollongong Wolves FC: 20. Vedran Janjetovic, 2. Harrison Buesnel, 4. Dylan Ryan, 5. Banri Kanaizumi, 6. Samuel Riak (29. Thomas Dunn 87’), 7. Takumi Ofuka, 8. Andre Takami, 9. Jake Trew (27. Damon Gray 78’), 24. Lachlan Scott, 25. Alex Masciovecchio (10. Yagoub Mustafa 61’), 88. Christopher McStay

Substitutes Not Used: 11. Lucas Tajcevski, 13. Oliver Yates, 15. Dax Kelly

Yellow Cards: Lachlan Scott 44’, Dylan Ryan 87’

Red Cards: Nil

Western Sydney Wanderers FC: 1. Taiga Harper, 11. Adam Bugarija (19. Dimo Dimo 69’), 16. Roman Culina, 18. Awan Lual (45. Rishonn Tafunai 78’), 22. Jesse Cameron, 23. Marcus Fernandez, 24. Anthony Barbic, 25. Ryley Hollingdale, 47. Edmun Haddad (33. Leon Alizart 46’) (35. Kaan Nizam 90+2’), 77. Phillip Gigliotti, 99. Ryan Devine

Substitutes Not Used: 20. Lucas Sinnott, 29. Evangelos Kalamvokis

Yellow Cards: Marcus Fernandez 50’, Phillip Gigliotti 85’

Red Cards: Nil

Player Ratings: 

3 – Taiga Harper (WSW)

2 – Ryley Hollingdale (WSW)

1 – Leon Alizart (WSW)

Report by Timothy Gibson, on Twitter @Timg123_