Western Sydney Wanderers win under Josep Gombau but VAR dominates

FIVE games in and Josep Gombau finally has his first win as Wanderers coach, but the VAR has stolen his spotlight.

Wanderers players celebrates after Alvaro Cejudo scored against the Mariners on Saturday night.

UPDATE: FIVE games in and Josep Gombau finally has his first win as Wanderers coach - it’s just a shame the VAR is the talking point.

Goals to Brendon Santalab and Alvaro Cejudo gave Western Sydney a 2-0 win over the Mariners at Central Coast Stadium, finally giving Gombau something to show for his change of playing style.

Unfortunately, the farcical use of the VAR in the second half dominated the actual football and Mariners coach Paul Okon says it’s costing the game fans.

Wout Brama had been been issued a yellow card by the referee for a studs up challenge on Roly Bonevacia, but after the incident was flagged by the VAR it was changed to a red. Okon was incensed on the sideline, but there was more controversy to come.

Jake McGing had his yellow for a challenge on Kearyn Baccus also upgraded to a red, when a caution seemed harsh enough in the first place. This time, it was the Mariners fans who were left incensed, many of whom walked out of the stadium. Not only did the Mariners end the game with nine men, but Okon now has two players suspended for next week.

“If you came to this game and left no longer in love with football, who could blame you?”, Okon said.

Wanderers players celebrates after Alvaro Cejudo scored against the Mariners on Saturday night.

“If both challenges were violent I think you would have seen protests from the Wanderers players or bench. There was no reaction - the reaction came from the gentleman upstairs.”

The sooner the VAR trial ends, the better.

But that’s not to take anything away from the Wanderers, who were already 2-0 up and just about in cruise control by the VAR’s first unwelcome intervention.

Gombau says his overriding feeling was one of happiness after a difficult period.

“A lot of feeling, because it’s been a difficult time the last three weeks and not we got the result,” he said.”I’m happy not for me, but for the fans.

“Happy for the people in the club and happy for the boys; they deserve it after the week’s training.”

Santalab, making his first start of the season, ended the Wanderers six hour goal drought with a quality strike to give his team the lead in the 27th minute.

His celebration was muted, but the goal spoke volumes. Few players are as passionate as Santalab and it’s a wonder he hasn’t been given more minutes this season. Surely after his performance against the Mariners, that will change.

It was the Wanderers’ first goal in four games, but the home side shaded the first half and were unlucky not to get on the scoresheet themselves. Twice Vedran Janjetovic came to the Wanderers rescue; first with a crucial touch that just took the ball away from Daniel Da Silva after a terrific ball in from Jake McGing, then a leaping save to tip Connor Pain’s attempt over the crossbar.

The Wanderers came close to doubling their lead just before the break when an excellent Jumpei cross just eluded a sliding Santalab.

In the 50th minute Santalab was instrumental again when he beat the Mariners defence and cut the ball back to Cejudo, the Spaniard scoring to double the Wanderers lead.

Gombau again made some changes to his starting lineup, noticeably dropping Robbie Cornthwaite to the bench. The club captain missed a training session during the week and it’s Gombau’s policy that any player who misses a training session doesn’t start the next game.

The younger Baccus brother, Keanu, kept his place in the starting lineup at the expense of his brother Kearyn and he justified the decision by putting in a man of the match performance. It’s just a shame the VAR overshadowed both his and Santalab’s performances.

WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS 2 (Brendon Santalab 27m, Alvaro Cejudo 50m) CENTRAL COAST MARINERS 0 at Central Coast Stadium. Crowd: 7,199. Referee: Alex King