Wanderers horror run continues as Wolves howl to victory

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A goal in each half saw Wollongong Wolves defeat Western Sydney Wanderers 2-0 on Saturday afternoon at Wanderers Football Park as the South Coast side inflicted more pain on its hosts in Sydney’s West. 

An outstanding strike from Sebastian Hernandez gave the side the lead before Lachlan Scott added a second soon after halftime.

Earlier in the season, the Wolves would have gone into this match as underdogs against the high-flying, table-topping Wanderers.

But fast-forward to Round 22, and there were only four points between the teams as they took the field at Wanderers Football Park. The Wolves’ five-game unbeaten streak – including four wins – had catapulted them into the finals conversation.

Wollongong carried their recent momentum into the start of the match and made the breakthrough around 15 minutes in. Hernandez made room for a shot from outside the box and lashed the ball with his left foot to pick out the top corner – his second goal in as many games.

Snappy passing from the hosts created problems for the Wolves, but they held firm and forced Wanderers goalkeeper Lucas Sinnott into some vital saves.

A few minutes before halftime, the Wolves marauded forward, with Scott finding Jake Trew, who was denied by a low save from Sinnott from the right of the box.

On the stroke of halftime, the Wolves went agonisingly close to a second when Ofuka curled one narrowly past the right post from the edge of the area.

Hernandez almost grabbed his second soon after halftime as he drove an effort from outside the box at Sinnott, but the goalkeeper batted it away.

However, the away side were not to be denied and did grab their second goal 56 minutes in.

Persistent pressing from the Wolves saw the Wanderers cough up the ball to Christopher McStay on the edge of the box. His shot was well-saved by Sinnott. But the rebound fell to Scott in the left of the box, where his shot eventually trickled over the goal line despite Sinnott’s desperate efforts to deny him.

Three minutes later, Takumi Ofuka marauded through the middle of the pitch and fired goalwards from range – yet again though – Sinnott was equal to it.

There was a big chance for Western Sydney in the 64th minute. Janjetovic dropped a left-sided corner from Ryley Hollingdale in the area. The subsequent scramble concluded with Dallo Sandy blasting it over the bar.

Sandy was proving a bright spark for the home side off the bench and went close again three minutes later. Jesse Cameron clipped a neat ball into the right of the box for Sandy, who steered it wide of the near post.

With two regular minutes to play, Awab Lual looked to haul Western Sydney back into the game as he hit a shot from the right of the pitch straight at Janjetovic.

Another late save from Sinnott for the hosts from Ofuka’s shot kept the score at just two as it finished with Wollongong extending their unbeaten run.

Match Stats

Western Sydney Wanderers FC 0

Wollongong Wolves FC 2 (Sebastian Hernandez 15’, Lachlan Scott 56’)

Saturday 29 June 2024

Wanderers Football Park, Rooty Hill

Referee: Craig Fisher

Assistant Referees: Aaron Block and Cameron Wright

Fourth Official: Thomas Dale

Western Sydney Wanderers FC: 1. Lucas Sinnott, 14. Luka Knezevic (36. Dallo Sandy 61’), 16. Roman Culina, 18. Awan Lual, 22. Jesse Cameron, 23. Marcus Fernandez, 24. Antony Barbic (37. Ricky Fransen 46’), 25. Ryley Hollingdale, 35. Kaan Nizam (3. Matthew O’Donoghue 75’), 77. Phillip Gigliott (27. Julian Cop 82’), 99. Ryan Devine (4. Meliwethu Nkomo 61’)

Substitutes Not Used: 30. Marcus Petrovski

Yellow Cards: Jesse Cameron 17’, 3. Matthew O’Donoghue 84’

Red Cards: Nil

Wollongong Wolves FC: 20. Vedran Janjetovic, 3. Darcy Madden, 4. Dylan Ryan, 5. Banri Kanaizumi, 6. Samuel Riak, 7. Takumi Ofuka, 9. Jake Trew (27. Damon Gray 78’), 10. Yagoub Mustafa, 11. Sebastian Hernandez (8. Andre Takami 78’), 24. Lachlan Scott, 88. Christopher McStay

Substitutes Not Used: 13, Oliver Yates, 15. Dax Kelly, 29. Mirza Muratovic

Yellow Cards: Sebastian Hernandez 10’

Red Cards: Nil

Player Ratings: 

3 – Darcy Madden (WW)

2 – Lucas Sinnott (WSW)

1 – Lachlan Scott (WW)

Report by Tim Gibson, on Twitter @Timg123_