Bulls start the stampede with win in first A-League game

A-League’s new boys proved they are ready to match it with every other club in the competition with a 1-0 win over Western Sydney in the inaugural ‘Battle of the West’.

Macarthur FC’s Benat Etxebberia celebrates after his free kick was deflected into the goal during a 1-0 win over Western Sydney at Bankwest Stadium

A-League’s new boys Macarthur FC proved they are ready to match it with every other club in the competition with a 1-0 win over Western Sydney in the inaugural ‘Battle of the West’.

The Wanderers may enjoy supporter dominance in Sydney’s west but on the park, the Bulls took control in front of a boisterous COVID-restricted crowd of 10,128 people at Bankwest Stadium.

A deflected free-kick in the 72nd minute from substitute and highly touted Spanish import Benat Etxebberia, which ricocheted off the back of his captain Mark Milligan, proved the difference in what was a captivating and high-quality first-up derby between the new rivals.

It was clear that former Matildas coach Ante Milicic had assembled an impressive squad on paper and within their first 45 minutes in the A-League, he had already found a way to get them to gel on the park.

Socceroos keeper Adam Federici deserves the majority of plaudits from what was a historic night, pulling off a string of top-class saves to keep Western Sydney at bay and prove that even at 35, his Socceroos days may not be over.

Their best effort of a vibrant and dominant first half display fell to lively 20 year old winger Moudi Najjar but his header — one of four that he had on goal in the opening 45 minutes – went narrowly wide of the upright.

That chance seemed to wake the Wanderers up and it was young right back Tate Russell who got them out of bed, bursting down the right to create two opportunities, the best of which was spectacularly tipped over the bar by Federici from a Simon Cox drive.

Western Sydney continued to try and impose themselves early in the second half but Federici would keep James Troisi at bay before Macarthur’s celebrations were quickly dulled after the off-side flag correctly ruled out a Lachie Rose tap in.

Etxeberria would step up not long after though to slot home his new club’s first ever goal.

An impressive team on paper, the Bulls both experienced and emerging clicked. Federici shone while former Socceroos skipper Milligan proved he has lost none if his class. Youngsters Najjar And Rose – plucked by Milicic from the obscurity of the NPL’s second division starred with their veteran teammates from the wings.

The Wanderers failed to capitalise on an off-season splash. They poached a coach and three players from their rivals in the off-season creating more waves than any other club but Western Sydney weren’t able to capitalise on that at the first time of asking. Ziggy Gordon, the most understated of their off-season signings, had an excellent defensive game while James Troisi was enterprising at times. Bernie Ibini failed to impose himself, however.

After all the dramas and sagas surrounding VAR it was refreshing to see it used accurately to overthrow the howler of a penalty call for Western Sydney 10 minutes in.

Former EPL midfielder Graham Dorrans smashed his shot into Bulls defender Aleks Jovanovic and while it wasn’t even clear on camera if the ball hit his arms, they were clearly tucked by his side anyway.