Western Sydney Wanderers rue missed chances during scoreless draw with Adelaide United

IF 2015 ended in a crescendo for the Wanderers, the new year is a lot quieter so far, held 0-0 by Adelaide at Pirtek Stadium on Friday night

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 01: Federico Piovaccari of the Wanderers reacts after missing a goal scoring opportunity during the round 13 A-League match between the Western Sydney Wanderers and Adelaide United at Pirtek Stadium on January 1, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

IF 2015 ended in a crescendo for the Wanderers, the new year is a lot quieter so far.

Held 0-0 by Adelaide at Pirtek Stadium last night, Western Sydney’s lead at the top of the table stretched to three points. But they could be overtaken by Brisbane today, after ruing a succession of missed chances to start the year with a win, in a game that was also marked by a series of baffling decisions from referee Ben Williams.

The home side’s unbeaten run stretches to nine games, but in failing to score for the first time since the derby in round three, Western Sydney’s cause was not helped by another blank-firing performance from Italian marquee Federico Piovaccari.

Nor was either side helped by the errors of Williams, who to his credit conceded afterwards that his denial of a penalty to both teams was wrong. But still for much of the game it was an engaging, absorbing contest, whose intensity fell away only later in proceedings.

“It was an even first half, the second half we controlled in large parts,” said Tony Popovic afterwards. “It was just the final ball, that last decision, that was lacking. We created some good combinations around the box and we had some good chances. We kept pushing for the win but Adelaide always looked dangerous on the break.”

They did from the start, when Andrew Redmayne denied Bruce Djite bravely before only the bar denied Cirio’s fine half-volley.

It was an intense battle, epitomised when Piovaccari was put clear by Romeo Castelen’s header and chased the ball down shoulder to shoulder with Dylan McGowan. Both were guilty of pushing and shirt pulling but Williams decreed that the Italian was more at fault, blowing for a foul as Piovaccari struck the ball home.

If that decision was debatable, just a minute later came one that was incomprehensible. Michael Marrone dribbled into the box, and as he cut outside Nikolai Topor-Stanley, the Wanderers captain caught him with a thigh-high trailing leg. Short of brandishing a weapon, Topor-Stanley could hardly have been more guilty, but Williams turned his back on the appeals.

Federico Piovaccari and Dylan McGowan vie for the ball. Pic: Mark Evans.

At least both sides had a sense of grievance, accentuated for the home side when Bridge appeared to be fouled in the box on the brink of halftime but was also denied a penalty. By then Galekovic had also made a flying save from Castelen’s shot while Piovaccari’s tame header from a corner hit Bridge and dribbled wide.

Just past the break Djite turned Topor-Stanley to create an opening he could only blaze over, then from Jimmy Jeggo’s cross Craig Goodwin’s header was palmed away by Redmayne.

A few nerves appearing among the home fans were not eased when Piovaccari met Dario Vidosic’s cross with a header several metres wide, the Italian striker’s profligacy in front of goal not diminishing as the season continues. If the disallowing of his first-half strike was possibly harsh, this was a bad miss and shortly afterwards he gave way to Brendon Santalab.

Harder and harder the home side pressed, but the finishing touch could not be found. Vidosic galloped down the right and cut the ball back for Bridge, who could only scuff it wide. Then in the final minute the substitute Golgol Mebrahtu’s fizzing free kick was tipped over by Galekovic.

Originally published as Western Sydney Wanderers rue missed chances during scoreless draw with Adelaide United