Why the offside decision was the right call on the Wanderers
A late contentious decision which cost the Western Sydney Wanderers a goal was the right decision according to former Socceroo Robbie Slater and Marco Monteverde. It’s among their talking points in this week’s The Tackle.
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Was it the right or wrong call on the Wanderers?
Socceroos great Robbie Slater and Marco Monteverde argue the right call was made to deny the Wanderers a late goal.
Check out their takes on this week’s The Tackle.
RIGHT CALL MADE
As much as the Wanderers are complaining about the offside ruling that denied Western Sydney a winning goal in stoppage-time on Saturday night against Melbourne City, it was the correct decision.
The Tackle has made some enquiries with a leading official, with the verdict being that Wanderers defender Anthony Pantazopoulos, who was in an offside position when the free-kick was played in his direction, was interfering with play despite Marcus Antonsson having headed the ball into the net.
The decision has divided opinion, including among your Tackle correspondents.
While Robbie remains adamant that Pantazopoulos wasn’t interfering with play and that the goal should have stood, which would have given Western Sydney a vital three points in the battle for a top-two spot, Marco felt that the right decision was made.
Slater and Monteverde were also in disagreement about referee Adam Kersey blowing the full-time whistle when Wanderers had just started a counter-attack.
However, the fact is that time was up, so it can’t be said that Kersey made the wrong decision.
Regardless of all that, Wanderers should be kicking themselves for giving up a two-goal and having to settle for a 2-2 draw.
It’s a result that could cost Western Sydney a spot in next season’s AFC Champions League Elite as the team that finishes second on the A-League ladder is set to qualify for Asia’s most prestigious and lucrative competition due to almost-certain premiers Auckland being ineligible for Asian competition because they are from New Zealand, a nation that is part of the Oceania Football Confederation.
“We’re obviously disappointed to cough up a 2-0 lead … but it was a top match and fitting for both teams who played really well. Two great sides, locking horns,” Wanderers coach Alen Stajcic said.
TOP KEEPER MUST LEAVE AUCKLAND
As much as Auckland FC coach Steve Corica wants to keep Alex Paulsen, he knows the star gloveman “needs to” leave the A-League.
If not the best, Paulsen is definitely in the top two when it comes to A-League goalkeepers.
He showed that again with a magnificent save to deny Melbourne Victory striker Nikos Vergos in Auckland’s 2-0 win at AAMI Park on Saturday night.
At that stage, the score was still in the balance, with Auckland holding just a one-goal lead.
Victory coach Arthur Diles described the save as “world class”.
Corica doesn’t need reminding about Paulsen’s quality.
“He’s had a great year last year (with Wellington Phoenix),” the Auckland coach said.
“He just fell short towards the end but hopefully we can get him over the line this season and not only win the premiership but win the grand final if we can.”
Paulsen left Phoenix at the end of last season to join English Premier League club Bournemouth only to be loaned to Auckland, who like Bournemouth are owned by American billionaire Bill Foley
The 22-year-old New Zealand international has already been linked with a new loan move next season, this time to Scottish club Hibernian, who Foley also partly owns.
“I don’t think we will (keep him),” Corica said.
“He needs to go. He’s had two good seasons. He wants to play at a higher level like everyone does.
“He is on the books of Bournemouth. I’m not sure where he’s going to go next season but I’m pretty sure it won’t be with us unfortunately. That’s the way it goes.
“There are areas of his game he can improve on and obviously he knows that, but he is a fantastic goalkeeper and he has a lot of strengths. He just needs to keep improving and he’s doing that.
“He probably needs to play at the next level to improve more and I’m sure he will.”
And we are sure as well.
MELBOURNE CLUBS FALTER
A disappointing Round 27 overall for Melbourne clubs has Western United and the Victory searching for answers just a few weeks out from the finals series.
While Melbourne City at least managed a point against the Wanderers to remain in the box seat to secure a top-two berth, the Victory and United suffered what could be costly defeats.
United’s slip-up to Brisbane Roar on Thursday night at Suncorp Stadium was particularly disappointing.
While they played well despite losing 2-0 last weekend to the Wanderers, United’s performance in their 2-1 loss to the Roar wasn’t good enough for a team that had been showing title-winning form for a long time.
It had been more than a year since the Roar had won a home game, so perhaps the Queenslanders were due.
However, United coach John Aloisi was right in saying that it was one of his team’s “poorest” performances of the season.
United’s back-to-back losses has cost them any chance of winning the premiership, but a top-two spot remains a possibility with two rounds remaining.
For the Victory, there was no shame in losing 2-0 to first-placed Auckland.
However, they failed to rise to the occasion in front of their own fans at AAMI Park, which is a concern ahead of next month’s finals series.
Team of the week
(4-2-3-1) Alex Paulsen (Auckland FC); Hiroki Sakai (Auckland FC), Kai Trewin (Melbourne City), Panagiotis Kikianis (Adelaide United), Francis de Vries (Auckand FC); Louis Verstrate (Auckland FC), Samuel Klein (Brisbane Roar); Douglas Costa (Sydney FC), Stefan Mauk (Adelaide United), Nicolas Milanovic (Western Sydney Wanderers); Guillermo May (Auckland FC) Coach: Steve Corica (Auckland FC)
Player of the week: Alex Paulsen (Auckland FC)
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