Brisbane Roar put dent in Wanderers’ hopes

The hopes of playing finals football for the Western Sydney Wanderers have been placed in huge doubt following a devastating home defeat to Brisbane Roar.

Brisbane goalkeeper Jamie Young saves the ball under pressure from Western Sydney’s Bruce Kamau at Bankwest Stadium. Picture: Getty Images.

They’ve built a squad to envy many in the A-League but the hopes of playing finals football for the Western Sydney Wanderers have been placed in huge doubt following a devastating home defeat to Brisbane.

In contrast, the 2-1 win for the Roar serves as a huge boost to their chances of making the top six after a second consecutive victory in Sydney that has them just two points off the Wanderers, who currently occupy that position, but having played three less games.

“It’s big because the table doesn’t lie. I wouldn’t say we’re the most fancied team but we’re certainly confident in that we’ve got as a group and we need to use these games in hand to our advantage and see where it takes us,” said Brisbane coach Warren Moon.

For the first time since his controversial exit from the Newcastle Jets to take charge of this ambitious Wanderers outfit, the microscope is on Welshman Carl Robinson to turn things around.

“That’s fair, one hundred per cent fair. Maybe I thought we were further ahead than what we actually are and I’ve got to look at that and analyse that and we will do,” Robinson said.

“It’s very urgent. We can’t keep waiting and waiting and waiting that’s got to be my job to turn it around very soon,” he continued.

With all goals scored in the first half it was the Roar’s livewire attacker Dylan Wenzell-Halls who again served as their inspiration.

He found space to shoot 17 minutes in and drew a superb save out of Daniel Margush low to his left but Josh Brindell-South was the fastest to react and slammed it home for his first A-League goal.

Now 28 and seven years after his debut in the competition it was a wonderful story on another big night for this burgeoning Brisbane side.

The Wanderers would equalise shortly after when Brisbane defenders Scott Neville and Tom Aldred got caught in friendly fire defending a high ball.

That took them both out of the equation allowing Simon Cox to burst free and set up Bruce Kamau to slam home the equaliser under little pressure.

On the stroke of halftime, the Roar would find their eventual winner.

Joey Champness was played in down the left and the former professional rap artist made the ball sing with a quite brilliant first-time left foot cross into the path of Riku Danzaki to tap home.

The hero late on for the Roar was goalkeeper Jamie Young once more who made several key saves, most notably at point blank range off a Dylan McGown shot from inside the six yard box to preserve three massive points.

Margush lived dangerously all night playing off his line as a sweeper/keeper but he almost came unstuck when Jay O’Shea had a go at goal from inside his own half only to hit the crossbar. It was a wonderful effort and would have undoubtedly been the goal of the season.

Dylan Wenzell-Halls was the most dangerous player on the pitch in this one, setting up the first goal for Brisbane. He is in the frame for an Olyroos spot for the Tokyo Olympics.