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  • Wanderers Destroyed 4-1 By Melbourne Victory

    mack

    By mack

    A first half blitz from the Victory saw them never seriously threatened by a defensively frail Western Sydney.

     

    The A-League Season 10 opener saw the Wanderers going into the match lacking Matthew Spiranovic & Nikolai Topor-Stanley forced Tony Popovic to reshuffle his defensive unit and it took mere minutes for the Victory to capitalise.

     

    Melbourne Victory's new foreign defender Matthieu Delpierre was left free as a bird at a free kick, and he contorted his body into a sidefoot volley that left Ante Covic with no chance. Western Sydney were then denied a stonewall penalty after Brendon Santalab was rugby tackled in the box as he was about to latch onto a low cross.

     

    Not long after it was the Victory who received their own penalty, Antony Golec being adjudged to have deliberately handled the ball. Gun striker Besart Berisha playing for his new A-League club buried the spot kick to make it 2-0.

     

    The Wanderers were completely unable to cope with the silky skills of Kosta Barbarouses, who tiptoed through the defence then unleashed a fierce drive that Covic parried away. Golec spurned a chance to clear first time and Victory captain Leigh Broxham pounced, belting the leather off the ball and nearly bursting the net.

     

    5 minutes before the break Mark Bridge pulled one back following a neat lobbed through ball that Bridge powered through Nathan Coe, but the fightback lasted barely three minutes before the Victory secured their first opening round win in 8 years, and saw the Wanderers concede four goals for the first time in the A-League.

     

    Another defensive error saw Berisha gifted possession with open space in front and he played the perfect through ball to Archie Thompson who nailed his one on one with Covic and sprinted away to celebrate in front of the returning North Terrace.

     

    The majority of the 30,000+ crowd went home happy while the several thousand travelling Wanderers went out chanting despite the defeat. It leaves a lot of work for Tony Popovic to do before the huge Sydney Derby next Saturday.

     

    The Wanderers next match is against Sydney FC at the Sydney Football Stadium on Saturday the 18th of October at 7:30pm.

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    Guest NSWanderer15

    Guest NSWanderer15

    Posted (edited)

    Well that was a result waiting to happen after our Champions League run, though I am sure Tony will make them pay in training for that performance. Bring on the derby!

    Edited by NSWanderer15
    Link to comment
    DinoPresinger

    We could complain all night about the penalty we should have had to make it 1-1, and anything else we can think of but it's not going to change the result. 4-1 is not good but I don't blame the players. I don't blame the ref. I especially don't blame Popa. We lost this one on defensive errors, sure but we're going to get better. Lets put this behind us. It's not a true reflection of our Wanderers.

     

    Castelen looked gun

    Link to comment
    Davo

    "That's only the second time the Victory have won on opening day, and the first time in their three-season history the Wanderers have not..." - Good research from the SMH reporter there

     

    In the commentary they said we'd only ever lost 3-1 once before, away to Brisbane. I was there when we had that score against Wellington and it's happened on other occasions too.

    Edited by Davo
    Link to comment
    nmh94

    At least it has happened now. It may well be a necessary wake up call. We will be much better next week. Saba ti start please.

     

     

    "That's only the second time the Victory have won on opening day, and the first time in their three-season history the Wanderers have not..." - Good research from the SMH reporter there

    In the commentary they said we'd only ever lost 3-1 once before, away to Brisbane. I was there when we had that score against Wellington and it's happened on other occasions too.

    We lost 3-1 three times last year; to Brisbane, Wellington and the Victory.

    Link to comment
    Smoggy

    We could complain all night about the penalty we should have had to make it 1-1, and anything else we can think of but it's not going to change the result. 4-1 is not good but I don't blame the players. I don't blame the ref. I especially don't blame Popa. We lost this one on defensive errors, sure but we're going to get better. Lets put this behind us. It's not a true reflection of our Wanderers.

     

    Castelen looked gun

     

    I agree with what someone else has already mentioned, perhaps this was the defeat that we could see coming.... but didn't want to admit.

     

    When the team sheet came out I was a bit concerned and the guys tonight just couldn't lift themselves after the ACL exploits. MV were straining to get out of the blocks, they could wait to get at us and we couldn't match that intensity.

     

    Some bad body language out there tonight which I found as disappointing as the performance, especially in the back line. And you could see Covic wasn;t happy at all, which is understandable when your defensive line is all over the **** place!

    Link to comment
    Davo

    I officially now hate the all white away strip.... BRING BACK THE RED AND WHITE STRIPES  :good:  (if we can't play in red and black)

     

    Victory don't wear red or black but they do wear white so why the **** did we wear our away strip at all?

    Link to comment
    delilah

    ITS JUST THE FIRST GAME....TITLES ARE NOT WON AFTER THE FIRST GAME...MINOR HICCUP...WE MOVE ON.

    WIN THE DERBY AND TONIGHT IS A DISTANCE MEMORY..

    COYW...WIN OR LOOSE WE DONT ABANDON SHIP LIKE THE SMURF SCUM

    MASSIVE KUDO'S TO THE TRAVELLING SUPPORTERS

    Link to comment
    beatsurrender

    Disappointed by the result but we were awesome in the stands. Last year two points from first two games one home and one away. Win next week and we are aheadr of last year and after two tough away games. Be positive.

    Edited by beatsurrender
    Link to comment
    Sime11

    santa had 2 good chances, disappointed he didn't put them away.

     

    remember we didn't have our starting centre back pairing, that's gonna screw any team regardless.

     

    Victory look the goods though, well played to them.

    Link to comment
    petewestie

    We were not destroyed. When we passed the ball, we did well. When we tracked back and defended in depth, we'd did well. In other words when we played to our strengths, we did okay. Saba, Trifiro and Romeo to start please. What has Aphia got on Popa, or how long will he persist with him. Pace does not make a player. He just does not have it. Play him in the youth team to sort himself out because every time he gets the ball he gets it wrong. He needs to have sort himself out because he is not good enough.

    Link to comment
    westofcentre

    At least it has happened now. It may well be a necessary wake up call. We will be much better next week. Saba ti start please.

     

    "That's only the second time the Victory have won on opening day, and the first time in their three-season history the Wanderers have not..." - Good research from the SMH reporter there

    In the commentary they said we'd only ever lost 3-1 once before, away to Brisbane. I was there when we had that score against Wellington and it's happened on other occasions too.

    We lost 3-1 three times last year; to Brisbane, Wellington and the Victory.

    Yeah what were the commentators on about?

     

    Second half was a nothing half. We couldnt really create any opportunities, hold the ball or mark. MV seemed to drop a gear after the 4th goal.

     

    Golec, Mullen, Cole, all had shockers.

     

    Poljak and La Rocca tried but couldnt really get a hold of and hold that ball.

     

    Labinot may as well have not played at all

     

    Saba was a positive I thought as was Castelen.

    Link to comment
    delilah

    Silver lining....we win they talk about the wanderers....we lose they still talk about the wanderers...

     

    sorry but i have said this from day 1 ...kubi for me is a friggin greyhound with blinkers on...his second touch is a tackle...

    Link to comment
    Swifty

    4-1 is a comfortable win in anyone's book. Golic's worse game in a wanderers' shirt by a country mile.

     

    Not convinced by victory though - look good going forward but their fullbacks are pants. Can see them having a lot of high scoring games.

     

    Best takeaway from this is always go for the overs in goals scored in any victory game.

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