(A-League, North Hobart Oval, Saturday, 27 January 2024)
Western United 0
Western Sydney Wanderers 1
HT: 0-1 Att: 3,850 Ref: A King
Western United: Heward-Belle - Risdon, Imai, Vidmar (Lisolajski 75), Garuccio - Penha, Lustica (York 59), Thurgate (Grimaldi 80), Wales - Ruhs (Najjarine 59), Botic (Najdovski 80) (Subs not used: O’Toole, Sutton [GK])
Western Sydney Wanderers: Margush - Simmons, Marcelo, Bonetig (Beading 7), Clisby - Brook (Cleur 69), Brillante, Moncrieff Priestman, Milanovic - Badolato (Younis 73), Antonsson (Pierias 73) (Subs not used: Ninkovic, Yuel, Harper [GK])
Western United simply cannot score goals and that’s why they are at the bottom of the A-League standings. After this game, they have managed to find the back of the net just 11 times in 13 outings.
That is a poor return for a side that has already won one A-League title in only six years of existence.
They should have won this game against Western Sydney Wanderers, who were third at the start and dropped to fourth despite the victory. Western Sydney Wanderers have pedigree. They have won the A-League title once and are the only Australian side to have won the Asian Champions League title.
It was disappointing to see just under 4,000 in attendance. For a State that wants its own A-League team, we should be attracting more spectators to a professional game. Seeing a game live is vastly different to watching it on television and I do hope that more people turn out next Saturday at the same superb venue (the pitch was magnificent) to watch the double header (Women’s: Western United v Central Coast Mariners; Men’s: Western United v Sydney FC).
This was the second visit to Hobart by Western Sydney Wanderers. On 30 September 2013, they lost 3-0 to Melbourne Victory in a friendly at Kingston’s Twin Ovals.
This second visit to Tasmania was more successful and resulted in them triumphing 1-0 against Western United at a windy and sometimes wet but nevertheless picturesque North Hobart Oval.
The Sydney-siders suffered an early set-back when defender Alex Bonetig was injured after just 7 minutes and had to be replaced by Tom Beading.
The first chance of the game fell to Western United in the 10th minute when a fierce left-footed drive by Daniel Penha was excellently saved low at the right-hand post by keeper Daniel Margush.
Wanderers should have taken the lead after 14 minutes when a cross from Oscar Moncrieff Priestman found the unmarked Marcus Antonsson, but the striker headed tamely over the bar.
Three minutes later, Western United had a glorious chance. Lachlan Wales made ground down the left and caused confusion and panic in the penalty area with a low cross, but Margush saved the day when he was able to scoop up the loose ball and snuff out the danger.
In the 2st minute, an error in midfield gifted possession to Western United on the right and Michael Ruhs advanced on goal. With only the keep to beat, Margush blocked the powerful shot to deny what probably should have been a goal.
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On the half-hour came the miss of the match as far as Western United were concerned. Penha released Noah Botic down the right and his low cross across the goalmouth found the unmarked Ruhs just outside the six-yard box and he somehow managed to lift the ball over an open goal and over the bar for a goalkick.
Wanderers had been living dangerously despite dominating possession and building up from the back through intelligent play by captain Marcelo and left-back Jake Clisby.
They were rewarded in the 35th minute when an attack down the left by the excellent Nicolas Milanovic caused panic in the Western United defence. They were caught wrong footed by Milanovic’s low cross, which found Antonsson, who side-footed the ball back into the path of Lachlan Brook, who struck a sweet left-footed shot into the net from just inside the box to give Wanderers a 1-0 lead at the interval.
Ten minutes into the second half, Wanderers almost increased their lead when a deep cross from the right by Aidan Simmons found Antonsson, whose header flashed centimetres wide of the far right-hand post with keeper Tom Heward-Belle at full stretch but beaten.
In the 62nd minute, Wanderers’ Milanovic made a penetrating run through the midfield and released Brook on the left, but a timely intervention by Kane Vidmar blocked the shot and denied Brook an almost certain second goal.
In the 66th minute, Wanderers shot themselves in the foot when a terrible and unnecessary tackle by Simmons on Vidmar in midfield saw the Wanderers defender receive a red card.
The extra man emboldened Western United and had Wanderers coach Marco Rudan animated in the technical area for the next 25 minutes of the game as he urged his players to greater heights, and especially in their defensive efforts.
Goalkeeper Margush deserves great credit for the win. He saved brilliantly from Botic and Garuccio in the latter stages to keep the 1-0 lead intact
As an aside, Garuccio spent a couple of seasons with Scottish club Heart of Midlothian in Edinburgh. Hearts actually played Tasmania at North Hobart Oval in 1959 and won 10-0. I bet not many current Hearts fans or players know that. Garuccio, understandably, was surprised, too.
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5 comments:
Great summation. Yep ground was outstanding.
Walter were you allowed onto the ground to take pictures?
Such a pity the advertising for such fixtures is so poor!
Anon 10.02AM.
Advertising by who ? Who do you think should foot the bill for advertising ?
Please do not suggest FT as they don't advertise their own competition and this is the national competition so nothing to do with FT.
The A League itself or Western United should be promoting .
That however costs money and the financial situation of the A League at present it may not be around much longer if things don't improve very quickly.
The deal they have done with Channel 10 ( and Paramount) is absolutely ridiculous.
Channel 10 are treating the game as second class and the A League accepts it ?
How the hell is the game supposed to take advantage of the so-called brilliant performance of the Matildas and build the game going forward ? What is happening already is that the initial excitement of the recent World Cup and performance is becoming very quiet indeed.
Obviously the people at the top may not be the people the game needs.
Most of us have all heard of Gil McLaughlan and Peter V'landys , the leaders of the 2 biggest football codes in this country. How many in this country have heard of James Johnson ? Alot less than those of us who know McLaughlan and V'landys.
They promote their game and sometimes arrogantly , however they get the desired results.
The head of FA is hardly ever seen on TV or in the media.
What then happens to the B League ? MMMM
That's probably got a lot more to do with the culture of the AFL, their CEOs are paramount to the survival they are basically politicians.
Professional leagues shouldn't be run by the national federation of that sport.
Who knows the CEO of cricket Australia?
I don't and they make plenty of cash.
James Johnson has done plenty in a short time and compared to previous occupants of his role he comes across as a far better leader.
The sulking of advertisement is so boring, we always have to have a whinge about something don't we.
There's always a reason why Tasmania cant do something.
The facts are we get shit on with most sports here and we will until we roll our sleeves up and accept it, until we have been consistent enough with our engagement to warrant not getting shit on as much.
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