Western Sydney Wanderers took first blood in the vicious derby against Sydney FC, as they fought desperately to take the game 1-0.
Although Sydney dominated throughout the match, it was Mitchell Duke once again with the captain’s performance as he scored the only game of the match, firing a header from a Daniel Georgievski cross.
Sydney will certainly feel hard done by, but the result is probably the best possible for the rivalry, with Western Sydney finally banishing their tormentors with their second derby win in 16 meetings.
Bankwest Stadium was present for a wonderful football match with both teams showing the spirit and fire that A-League fans crave.
Here are three thoughts from Western Sydney’s victory in the Sydney derby…
Western Sydney hold on… just
How Western Sydney managed to hold their lead from the 19th minute might just go down as one of life’s greatest questions. There were VAR checks, unmissable misses and literally millimetres that kept the score at 1-0.
Perhaps Markus Babbel’s luck has finally turned around. No longer must he endure the spectacles of Vedran Janjetovic needlessly conceding corners or another player getting sent off.
Even with the plentiful injuries, Babbel’s team showed grit and spirit to stave off the constant pressure applied by Sydney and offered a threat on the counter.
Western Sydney did struggle to create chances throughout the match. Rarely finding the ball in the box and packing their own defensive third. It did little to help as the champions carved open the defence time and time again, but Daniel Lopar stood tall every time a Sydney striker was in with a chance.
Indeed, the home side’s goal came from a horrendous mistake by Paulo Retre, as he recklessly tried to flick the ball and gave it away straight to Daniel Georgievski instead. The full-back has had a tough time playing on the right side with his weaker foot, but just when he needed it, he was able to deliver a splendid cross which Duke, unsurprisingly given the form he is in at the moment, directed goalwards.
Still, for the Wanderers, there is work to do yet. But nine points from nine against two of last season’s top three is not a bad way to start the season.
They say it is a sign of a Championship side when the team wins while playing badly. Could it be? Surely not…
Silver lining for Sydney
It will be little consolation for Sydney and their fans when they wake up tomorrow morning, but the Sky Blues were ridiculously unfortunate to not find, at the very least, an equaliser. The likes of Kosta Barbarouses and Adam Le Fondre scarcely miss the kinds of the opportunities they were presented with tonight, but this was just ‘one of those days’.
Steve Corica’s Sydney looked fluent on the ball with both their number 10s, Milos Ninkovic and Alexander Baumjohann finding the space required to pierce the Wanderers defence.
So, Sydney should not be too worried in the early stages of this season even if they go home disappointed tonight.
If there was one concern to be had about Sydney based off this game, it’s that when it was clear that the first eleven might not break the ice, there are few options on the bench that can make a difference.
Luke Ivanovic came on with twenty minutes to spare, but still a teenager, it’s hardly expected of him to make a crucial difference in a derby. Elsewhere the only truly experienced player on the Sydney bench is Antony Caceres, who looked lively but never really threatened. Is there enough depth in this Sydney team then to mount another championship challenge?
Time to enjoy Australia’s greatest sporting rivalry
The first Sydney derby of the season at the spectacular Bankwest Stadium showed that, as long as the two teams remain competitive, the rivalry will continue to brew.
On the pitch, tempers flared every time there was a collision. Alireza Faghani, still new to the A-League, probably had one of the toughest games of his career as he fought to keep the passion alive as well as the players on the field.
Off the field, both the Red and Black Bloc and The Cove were in full voice for the full 90 minutes and even beyond. The support from the fans surely had a role to play as the Wanderers fought tooth and nail to hold their lead.
An almost full stadium at Parramatta – 28,519 came to watch the match live -- will only raise expectations from here. Hopefully the remaining derbies prove to be just as drama filled with enough entertainment on the pitch and off it.
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