Western Sydney Wanderers hand Perth Glory 4-1 loss, move into top-four
Western Sydney Wanderers overcame a slow start to secure a thumping 4-1 victory over Perth Glory, a result which saw Alen Stajcic’s men move into the top-four. Catch up on all the latest news.
The Western Sydney Wanderers continued their late-season revival on Sunday afternoon with Aydan Hammond’s brace giving them a 4-1 win over the Perth Glory at CommBank Stadium.
Needing a win to break back into the A-League Men’s top-six, the Wanderers looked rattled early after conceding a fifth-minute goal to Adam Taggart.
Enter Hammond – with the 21-year-old scoring back-to-back first-half goals and helping the Wanderers move to fourth place on the ladder.
Hammond’s first goal was particularly special, with the right winger scoring an absolute belter from outside the box after Perth failed to clear a corner in the 13th minute. Hammond put his side ahead in the 39th minute, tucking the ball away into the Perth net after recovering a Bozhidar Kraev shot that had cannoned off the post. Not bad for a bloke who only found himself in the starting side following a suspension to midfield maestro Nicolas Milanovic.
The Wanderers’ third goal came off the back of a disastrous error from Perth midfielder Luke Amos, whose wayward pass found Oscar Priestman unmarked in the Glory box in the 50th minute, while Kraev would put the result beyond doubt when he scored their fourth off a Zac Sapsford cross in the 66th.
QUARTER HOUR CRISIS
Despite their strong form, one stat that would surely concern manager Alen Stajcic is his team’s tendency to concede early goals during season 24/25. Taggart’s strike was the sixth goal that the Wanderers have leaked during the opening 15 minutes of a match. The 10th-placed Central Coast Mariners are the only team with a worse record. The Red and Blacks need to rectify this issue if they wish to go deep into the finals.
WOODEN SPOON RACE HEATS UP
Sunday afternoon’s heavy loss puts Perth in a precarious position in the race for the dreaded wooden spoon. With eight rounds remaining, Perth currently sits just four points ahead of the last-placed Brisbane Roar, who have played three fewer matches than the Glory this season (and thus have more games in hand). Likewise, the Roar’s goal difference (-17) is vastly superior to Perth’s (-32). With all this in mind, the clash between the two sides on March 15th is shaping up as a potential spoon bowl!
Sky Blues pressure counts over rivals
— Steven Russo
Sydney FC have broken back into the A-League Men’s top six after goals to Patryk Klimala and Adrian Segecic sealed a 2-0 victory over Macarthur at Campbelltown Stadium.
Despite dominating possession and creating multiple chances from the opening whistle, the Sky Blues had been continually frustrated by Bulls keeper Filip Kurto, whose acrobatic efforts between the sticks saw the teams locked at nil-all as the game approached the hour mark.
However, Ufuk Talay’s men broke the deadlock 12 minutes into the second stanza when Joe Lolley’s delicate ball allowed Klimala to push a shot past the Macarthur custodian.
Super-sub Segecic pinched the Sky Blues’ second in the 73rd minute when he pounced on a calamitous clearance from defender Kevin Boli.
“Overall, I thought we deserved it [the win],” Talay said post-match.
“I think in the first half we nullified them a lot. We created opportunities [but] didn’t have enough numbers in the box.
“We scored a good goal [in the second half] … and the way we played led to our second goal with ”Segga” [Segcic] pressing from the goal kick.“
The win sees Sydney move to sixth on the ladder on 29 points, although they could be pushed back down to seventh should Western Sydney beat the lowly Perth Glory on Sunday afternoon. The Bulls now sit 10th and look increasingly likely to miss the finals.
“In the first half, I felt like we couldn’t keep possession and Sydney dominated,” Bulls coach Mile Sterjovski lamented.
“I thought we could maybe lift the intensity a bit in the second half and be a bit braver on the ball.
“I was disappointed with the way we conceded the goals and it was difficult to come back from that.”
COSTA’S STRONG SHOWING
Despite failing to score, the former Juventus and Bayern Munich star continued his strong late-season form surge at Campbelltown.
Costa, 34, was an attacking dynamo during his 85 minutes on the pitch. In the 50th minute of play, he forced a spectacular save from Kurto with a cracking free kick, while he was unlucky not to score two minutes later when his curled shot ricocheted off the crossbar.
KURTON SHINES
While Macarthur were deserved losers on Saturday night, their Polish shot-stopper had a match to remember. In his quest to keep his side’s season alive, Kurto pulled off numerous impressive saves. In the first half, he parried a dangerous Klimala shot from point-blank range. Likewise, his effort to deny the league’s leading scorer Joe Lolley, when he was one-on-one during the second half, was also a highlight.
Victory steals much-needed point after last minute equaliser
— Marco Monteverde
A last-gasp equaliser from left-back Kasey Bos spared Melbourne Victory from an embarrassing loss to A-League cellar dwellers Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.
Just when the Roar seemed certain to secure their first home win in 12 months, Bos netted from close range seven minutes into stoppage-time to ensure the game finished 1-1.
It was cruel for the hosts, who dominated for most of the contest, and had several chances to increase their lead, including one just before Bos’ equaliser that midfielder Samuel Klein somehow missed.
While the Victory escaped with a point, it was a disappointing performance from the visitors, who wasted a chance against the competition’s worst team to jump into equal second place on the ladder.
Brisbane started brightly and should have taken the lead in the 15th minute when a through ball caught the Victory’s backline square and found recent signing Nathan Amanatidis.
The former Sydney FC attacker seemed certain to score when he rounded Victory goalkeeper Mitch Langerak.
However, Amanatidis’ shot wasn’t strong enough, allowing defender Joshua Rawlins, who had chased back with great intent, to block the goal-bound strike.
However, soon after the Roar were rewarded for their early dominance, with attacking weapon Henry Hore giving the hosts the lead in the 20th minute.
Fed by Brisbane captain Jay O’Shea, Hore cut inside from the left, stood up Victory midfielder Ryan Teague with ease before unleashing a right-footed strike that beat Langerak at his near post.
The Victory continued to struggle in the hot conditions but had a chance to equalise in first-half stoppage-time through Teague, whose long-distance strike was saved by Roar goalkeeper Matt Acton, who was making his first appearance of the season at the expense of Macklin Freke, who was dropped to the bench.
Three minutes after halftime, substitute Ben Halloran thought he had doubled Brisbane’s lead with an impressive first-time finish after being found by a pass from Hore.
However the former Socceroos winger was correctly ruled to be in an off-side position at the time of Hore’s pass.
Amanatidis then blew another great chance in the 51st minute after an impressive run through the heart of the Victory defence that led to a one-on-one situation with Langerak.
Unfortunately for Amanatidis, not only did he direct his shot straight at a grateful Langerak, but he injured his hamstring in the run and was replaced immediately.
Tempers flared just minutes later when Roar players were unhappy with Victory star Zinedine Machach for kicking out at Halloran.
Calmness was quickly restored, with Machach and Brisbane talisman O’Shea yellow cards.
Reds fight back for share of spoils in classic contest
By Val Migliaccio
Adelaide United bounced back from a two-goal deficit to run away A-League leader Auckland in an eight-goal thriller at Go Media Stadium on Saturday.
Adelaide’s Zach Clough converted two spot kicks to level the score at 3-3 before two more goals were scored in a pulsating 4-4 draw.
Auckland was comfortably leading 3-1 in the 52nd minute before Adelaide was awarded two spot kicks, which drew the ire of Auckland coach Steve Corica.
“There were a few controversial decisions,’’ Corica told Paramount +.
“The referee might have got both of them wrong and the VAR.
“I’m sure tomorrow we’ll get an apology, but that’s not good enough.”
Adelaide survived a brutal 90 minutes before an incredible 12 minutes of stoppage time was added.
Auckland’s defender Hiroki Sakai thought he had scored the winner.
Sakai scored his side’s fourth goal two minutes into stoppage time after Reds’ keeper Ethan Cox spilt a cross into the path of the former Japan FIFA World Cup international.
Adelaide’s Dutch defender Bart Vriends levelled the score at 4-4 with a tap-in after Auckland crumbled eight minutes into stoppage time.
Sleeping Beauties
Auckland’s Uruguayan striker Guillermo May made a mockery of Adelaide’s defence to score the opening goal when the clash was 10 minutes old.
May, 26, was in an off-side position when Auckland was on the attack.
He cleverly tiptoed onside and received the ball on the edge of the box, while Adelaide was content to back peddle, rather than pressing the striker.
That allowed May room to look up before unleashing a 25m drive onto the top corner, giving Cox no chance.
Adelaide was caught napping again from a long throw-in four minutes later.
Francis De Vries’ 30m throw towards the six-yard box saw Adelaide’s defenders freeze before May, took advantage of the tardiness to toe-poke the ball home to register his seventh goal of the season.
However, May’s second goal warranted a VAR check as it appeared an Adelaide player was fouled in the lead-up.
Referee Daniel Elder signalled the all-clear, much to the dismay of Adelaide coach Carl Veart.
Adelaide’s Jordan Elsey pegged back the deficit on the half-hour when he was first to react from an Archie Goodwin header, which cannoned off the post from a Clough corner kick.
Elsey scored with a simple tap-in as Auckland went into a slumber.
Clough then smacked the ball against the upright after a goalmouth scramble just before the break, a clear sign that Auckland was wobbling after Elsey’s goal.
Logan Rogerson scored Auckland’s third goal seven minutes after the break.
Cox was stranded behind players before a De Vries corner, which was aimed close to the goal line.
Rogerson nodded the ball home from point-blank range.
Adelaide was awarded a penalty after VAR intervened when referee Elder missed Louis Verstraete fouling Ethan Alagich in real time.
Clough converted from 12 yards in the 61st minute.
Adelaide’s Stefan Mauk was then awarded a penalty in the 79th minute before Clough equalised again from the spot to level the tie before Sakai scored a fourth from a Callan Elliot assist.
Vriends’ equaliser summed up an exciting afternoon for neutrals in a questionable 90 minutes for defenders.
FEBRUARY DRAGON
Adelaide was atop of the A-League ladder after round 11 with 24 points.
After earning just three points out of a possible 12 in February, the Reds sprung to life on the first day of autumn, where Adelaide regained its fighting spirit.
However, Adelaide’s premiership – first past the post – hopes continued to fade in Auckland as the Black Knights hold an eight-point gap over United, who sit third.
MAUK AXED
Veart omitted Mauk from the starting 11 before the clash.
His experience in midfield could have been a bonus, as Adelaide was slaughtered in a horrific early first-half performance.
Mauk entered the fray in the 63rd minute for Ben Folami.
Former captain Isaias missed the clash due to a hamstring injury, while Elsey started his first A-League match since April 2023.
Elsey, 30, at that time represented Perth Glory, ironically in a 4-4 draw with Adelaide.
The central defender started his first Reds match – in his second stint at Adelaide – after earning two minutes off the bench in a 3-0 loss to Western United last week.
BOTIC FIRES UNITED TO SECOND
Noah Botic’s rich vein of form continued as Western United jumped to second on the A-League ladder with a 3-1 away win over Central Coast Mariners on Friday night.
Botic maintained his push for Socceroos selection for the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Indonesia and China with his seventh goal in his past seven matches and his 10th overall this season.
The 52-minute goal, which came after an impressive build-up that included contributions from Angus Thurgate, Hiroshi Ibusuki, Matthew Grimaldi and substitute Riku Danzaki, put United ahead 1-0 at Gosford’s Industree Group Stadium.
The Mariners fought back to equalise in the 76th minute through an own goal from United defender Tomoki Imai, who turned a cross from Central Coast’s Lucas Mauragis into his own net.
However, United’s response was swift, with Luke Vickery restoring the visitors’ lead five minutes later after getting on the end of a low cross from fellow substitute Michael Ruhs.
Provider was to turn scorer in stoppage-time, with Ruhs finding the back of the net against his former club to seal United’s ninth win of the season.
The victory moved the John Aloisi-coached side to 32 points and second place, at least temporarily, behind runaway leaders Auckland FC, who host Adelaide United at Go Media Stadium on Saturday.
Adelaide can recapture second spot with a win over Auckland, but regardless, Aloisi’s men continue to prove that they are championship contenders.
The only low point of the night for the winners was an abdomen injury suffered by exciting youngster Abel Walatee, who was forced off in the first-half.
However, it was otherwise a night to remember for United against the Mariners, whose disappointing title defence continued.
Aloisi was delighted with his team’s win, which was United’s maiden victory in Gosford.
“For our club it’s great because it’s our first win here,” Aloisi told Paramount Plus.
“It’s a difficult place to come ,,, and when we went 1-0 up, they threw everything at us.
“We had to show a different side. We’ve been controlling games most weeks, we’ve been good with the ball and out of possession, but in that 30-minute period we had to really dig deep, but we deserved the win.
“We were very good in the first-half, very good in the beginning of the second-half … another three goals away from home, so it’s pretty good.
“At the start of the season, we felt we were playing well but we were lacking goals, but now you can see that the understanding is there.
“We look like we’re going to score goals every week and that’s pleasing.”.
TILIO THE DIFFERENCE FOR CITY
Marco Tilio continued his impressive return from injury with a second goal in two matches to clinch Melbourne City a 1-0 A-League win over Wellington Phoenix on Friday.
The Socceroos winger, who was sidelined for several weeks with a hamstring injury, scored the game’s only goal in the 51st minute at Sky Stadium in Wellington after being fed by Austrian midfielder Andreas Kuen.
Tilio, who is on loan to City from Scottish giant Celtic, also scored in City’s 2-2 derby draw with Melbourne Victory last Saturday at AAMI Park as he makes a late push for selection in Australia’s squad for this month’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Indonesia and China.
City’s win over the struggling Phoenix moved them to 31 points and further entrenched them in the top six.
Phoenix coach Giancarlo Italiano felt Tilio’s goal was “soft”.
“We gave them the goal,” Italiano said.
“We set up their transition. It was a poor passage of play between two players and I think that it’s going to be very hard to win games if you keep giving goals away.”
Originally published as Western Sydney Wanderers hand Perth Glory 4-1 loss, move into top-four
High-flying Pies soar over Swans at Gather Round
Collingwood have announced themselves as a true contender in 2025, outmuscling the Swans in an emphatic performance at Adelaide Oval to win their fourth-straight game.
Aussie runs second fastest 100m in history
Gout Gout has a serious rival in Australian sprinting after a fellow Queenslander achieved something the teen has yet to do.
Dragons star defies coach in ‘cash’ acts
A star Dragon has risked the wrath of his coach after bringing back his controversial “banned” try celebration against the Titans.