Wanderers stretch unbeaten A-League run

The Western Sydney Wanderers have stretched their unbeaten run to seven games and consolidated a top four spot with a pulsating 2-2 draw away to Wellington in Wollongong.

Kwame Yeboah of the Wanderers is tackled by Tim Payne of the Phoenix during the A-League match at WIN Stadium in Wollongong. Picture: Getty Images

The Western Sydney Wanderers have stretched their unbeaten run to seven games and consolidated a top four spot on the A-League ladder with a pulsating 2-2 draw away to Wellington in Wollongong.

After falling behind inside the opening 10 minutes, Western Sydney unloaded their star-studded bench and fought back to score twice late during a period that saw three goals in eight minutes between the two sides.

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Former English Premier League players Simon Cox and Jordon Mutch, along with last season’s top scorer in the returning Mitch Duke and lively attacker Bruce Kamau, all entered the fray in the second half to underline the Wanderers’ depth and help them peg back Wellington’s early lead in what was an improved performance from the Kiwi outfit.

“I said to the guys they should be proud because of the way they played in the second half but I don’t like draws. I get sick of draws sometimes. We threw two points away today and I said to them we need to learn how to be better at seeing out games,” Wanderers coach Carl Robinson said.

The Phoenix took the lead through 21-year-old Australian striker Mirza Muratovic who slid the ball home at the second attempt following a lovely through ball from Ulises Davila in front of his Mexican supporter group.

Wellington’s Ulises Davila is fouled by Keanu Baccus of the Wanderers at WIN Stadium

It would take until the 71st minute for Western Sydney to equalise which they did through an exceptional set-piece orchestrated on the training ground. Jordan O’Doherty’s delivery from just outside the box found Keanu Baccus who had pulled deep to the back post to throw off the Wellington defence before volleying across goal for Kwame Yeboah to head home.

It would take just five minutes more for the Wanderers to take the lead this time through Kamau who poked a perfect Daniel Wilmering cross home from the left at the back post.

Wellington however were good value for a point all afternoon and proved it just three minutes later as right-back Louis Fenton broke forward to head home from another set-play to avoid a third straight defeat for Ufuk Talay’s side.

After appearing for the first time away to Sydney last week, the large cohort of Mexican fans on hand to support Wellington star Ulises Davila made the trip to Wollongong this week but at the expense of the club.

The Phoenix paid for two buses to transport the fans over from Sydney to inspire their chief playmaker and give their home away from home in the ’Gong a bit of atmosphere and it proved a shrewd move.

He burst onto the scene with the Olyroos when they qualified for the Olympics and Rene Piscopo showcased his Tokyo credentials yet again with an enterprising display in his first start of the season for Wellington after returning from injury. His early effort that crashed into the crossbar would have caught Graham Arnold’s attention.

NCA Newswire