Juan Mata scores as A-League’s Wild West shootout erupts
Juan Mata finally found the back of the net as the Wanderers-Bulls clash turned into a Wild West Shootout, while Victory’s winless run under interim coach Arthur Diles continues. A-LEAGUE LATEST
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It was a Wild West shootout that would have made John Wayne proud.
The Western Sydney Wanderers and Macarthur opened the new year in spectacular fashion at CommBank Stadium, putting on a five-goal thriller that ultimately ended in a 3-2 win to the Bulls.
This match had everything you could want from a football game—thrilling goals, gilt-edge chances, desperate defence and a red card that inspired a spirited comeback.
A double to emerging winger Jed Drew had Macarthur ahead 3-1 at halftime, but a 52nd-minute red card awarded to Wanderers defender Dean Pelekanos for taking out Ariath Piol while the striker was one-on-one with the keeper, seemed to galvanise the home side, who got back to within one goal three minutes later via a deflected goal to Anthony Pantazopoulos.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, the Wanderers had the better of the closing half-hour, peppering the Macarthur goal. However, the Bulls’ defence rallied, blocking multiple shots to deny Western Sydney a late equaliser.
“I thought the character and fight in the term was superb,” Wanderers assistant coach Nahuel Arrarte said post-match.
“Their ability to continue to push forward, even when we went down to 10 men shows the character in the group.
“To be honest, I haven’t looked at it [the red card decision] . . . but while it played a part [in the loss], there are certain aspects of our game that we still need to improve if we want to be a top team.”
The Bulls now sit in second place on the A-League men’s ladder, leapfrogging the Melbourne Victory who played out a nil-all draw with Auckland earlier in the day, while Western Sydney sit seventh, one point outside the top six.
JED DREW PROVES THE DIFFERENCE
Despite playing just 66 minutes of the match, Jed Drew was a clear choice as Player of the Match.
The son of former Parramatta Eels hooker Brad Drew continued his stellar season, scoring the two goals which ultimately gave his side victory. While his first strike was a decent effort off a deflected cross, his second was an absolute stunner.
After receiving the ball on the right flank 20 metres out from goal, Drew turned Wanderers defender Jack Clisby inside out before curling the ball into the net from an extremely tight angle.
The 21-year-old has been a revelation for Mile Sterjovski’s side chalking up five goals and five assists in nine games this season and must surely be in contention for a Socceroos shirt.
“I definitely think he has the potential to do it,” Sterjovski said when quizzed on Drew’s Socceroos chances.
“He’s got the quality to do it, it’s just about being consistent.
“To play at the top level . . . you have to be consistent and do those sorts of things week in and week out.
“With the form he’s in, he definitely deserves a look in [with the Socceroos].”
Drew wasn’t the only Bulls young gun to shine, though. Piol produced a magic moment, putting the Bulls ahead 2-1 in the 26th minute with an individual effort that saw him sprint 40 metres down the right flank before effortlessly flicking the ball past Western Sydney keeper Lawrence Thomas.
JUAN MATA FINALLY SCORES
With Dylan Scicluna injured, Alen Stajcic opted to give marquee signing Juan Mata just his third start of the season. The FIFA World Cup winner repaid his manager’s faith when he put his side on level terms in the 23rd minute by tucking away a low cross from Josh Brillante.
While the former Chelsea and Manchester United star was replaced by Nicolas Milanovic after 56 minutes, he can be satisfied with the shift he put in against Macarthur.
VICTORY HOLD LADDER LEADERS OFF IN NEW YEAR STALEMATE
By Marco Monteverde
Melbourne Victory remain without a win under interim coach Arthur Diles, but have started the new year by holding A-League leaders Auckland FC to a scoreless draw on New Zealand soil.
The 0-0 stalemate at Go Media Stadium in front of almost 15,000 fans on Wednesday was the Victory’s third match since the departure of coach Patrick Kisnorbo.
Under Diles, Kisnorbo’s former assistant coach, the Victory – who remain entrenched in the top six – have picked up just two points from a possible nine and have scored just one goal.
However, the Melbourne club will be encouraged by its gallant performance against the Black Knights in windy conditions that made it difficult for both sides.
The Victory were also hampered by the unavailability of French star Zinedine Machach, who was suspended after being sent off in his team’s 3-0 loss to Sydney FC last Saturday night.
However, substitute Nishan Velupillay had a stoppage-time chance to win the game for the visitors, but failed to hit the target with a curling effort from inside Auckland’s penalty area.
The hosts did find the back of the net earlier in the second-half through striker Guillermo May, but the Uruguayan attacker was correctly ruled to be in an off-side position.
Victory captain Roderick Miranda took some encouragement from the result despite his side’s failure to pick up all three points.
“It was a really tough game in tough conditions with it being really windy here, so maybe they (Auckland) had the advantage of being used to playing in these conditions,” Miranda told Sky Sport New Zealand.
“We were a bit unlucky, especially at the end with (Velupillay’s) missed opportunity, but … regardless, it’s a point.
“We’ve improved from the last game, we didn’t concede any goals, so we can build on that going into the next game (against Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday night at AAMI Park).
HEADS UP
Auckland should have gone ahead in the sixth minute with a Francis De Vries header from point-blank range.
However, Victory goalkeeper Jack Duncan stood tall to deny De Vries, with the ball smashing into the head of the well-positioned custodian.
It was a chance that Auckland coach Steve Corica was left to lament.
“The keeper still doesn’t know where it hit him,” Corica said.
“Francis should have scored. That was our best chance”.
Duncan, who will soon be challenged for his position by imminent arrival Mitch Langerak, was again called into action in the 18th minute, diving to his right to prevent a shot from Colombian attacking midfielder Neyder Moreno giving the hosts the lead.
However, the Victory also had their share of first-half chances, with Socceroos defender Jason Geria twice failing to make the most of good opportunities to score in his 200th A-League appearance.
Originally published as Juan Mata scores as A-League’s Wild West shootout erupts
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