Bonevacia Leads Wanderers To Victory

[mack]

A 3-1 win for the Western Sydney Wanderers has continued their mini-revival, with their second win in a row keeping them within touching distance of the Newcastle Jets on the A-League ladder.

Adelaide kicked off on a perfect evening for football, Adelaide in 4th place wearing their all red kit, and the Wanderers in 8th and their change black kit. Adelaide set the tone of the game early, with Isaías scything down Roly Bonevacia from behind with a disgraceful kick out. The referee awarded a foul but not the clearly deserved yellow card.

The home side went to the professional foul well once too often and they were punished by the Wanderers after 10 minutes. George Blackwood gave away the foul and then was beaten all ends up on the resultant cross by his marker Oriol Riera, the cross from Bonevacia found the big strikers head on the edge of the 6 yard box, Adelaide keeper Izzo stayed on his line and Riera found the back of the net for his first goal of 2019.

Kris Griffiths Jones managed to insert himself into the game from his VAR position shortly after the goal. Despite the centre official waving away a soft penalty shout, he was called to the sideline by the VAR and his decision was over-turned. Brendan Hamill had stuck out a foot to try and block an incoming cross, he missed Jordy Thomassen only for the Dutch striker to dive over Hamill's leg. Justice was done from the penalty spot, with Goodwin's awful penalty being saved to Vedran Janjetovic's right side.

After half an hour of backs to the wall defending for Western Sydney, Janjetovic cancelled out his penalty save with another example of poor goalkeeping this season. An aimless Adelaide cross from Jakobsen was nowhere near the attacking players, Vedran leapt into the air, but instead of simply catching the ball he 'punched', for lack of a better term, with the ball dribbling about 3 yards forward into the pitch, Ryan Kitto ran onto the ball, got to it before the Wanderers defence could react and he smashed it past a stationary Janetovic.

Replays showed that Thomassen was in an offside position when the cross was taken, and subsequently he knocked into Brendan Hamill, unfortunately as is the normal case with the linesman when the Wanderers play Adelaide, they ignored the offside, and then the VAR didn't bother checking. After such a huge fuss was made about Jaushua Sotiro's "offside" offence in the first Sydney Derby, surely if the VAR was being consistent Thomassen would have been called offside on review and the goal chalked off.

The Wanderers regained their lead with a goal very much against the run of play 10 minutes after the interval. A right side throw-in from Tate Russel rolled through for Roly Bonevacia, and he took an invitation to run into the Adelaide defence and fire a strike that took a heavy deflection from an attempted block, leaving Paul Izzo wrong-footed and unable to even attempt a save.

The visitors took a commanding 3-1 lead 20 minutes from full time. Roly Bonevacia, having an absolutely storming game, was found by a Riera flick-on, the midfielder watched the ball drop then hit an elevated through ball for the excellent run of Abraham Majok and with Izzo rushing out the young striker perfectly executed a lob that dropped gracefully into the empty net.

Bonevacia could have had a double right before stoppage time, as he went on a length of the field sprinting dribble into the Adelaide penalty area only to have his attempted nutmeg shot blocked by Izzo, the rebound kept out again and a lay off to Majok being slightly overhit and not giving him a chance to put away the fourth. Adelaide pressed hard, and despite a number of Wanderers going down with cramp, the Red & Black held their lead, refusing to even give up a consolation goal. The clear man of the match was Bonevacia, who arguably had his best game at the club since his arrival. Markus Babbel had said in the media that he would refuse to give away the rest of the season, and it appears his mentality has filtered down onto the pitch tonight.

The Wanderers have closed the gap to Newcastle Jets in 7th to 6 points, and face Perth Glory at the Sydney Showground Homebush next Sunday the 24th at 7pm.

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[Smoggy]

Bet Roly is still doing laps of the changing room...and will be running back from Adelaide.....never stopped.

[Jefski]

Great write up Mack.

I've got to say, that's the most enjoyable game (especially the second half) I've watched in the last two seasons. Best part was the urgency shown in defence late in the game. 

 

The real test comes next week.

[MistahCampoy]

Good job fellas, picked up the work rate in the second half to take it out.. We have looked good in parts this season and hopefully it starts to show with more confidence

[sonar]

Not to take anything away from how Roly played tonight............ has played 42 games for us.......he owes us a good game or two.

[Smoggy]

Just now, sonar said:

Not to take anything away from how Roly played tonight............ has played 42 games for us.......he owes us a good game or two.

I think he has been good for a number of weeks in a very poor side...

[Jefski]

Just now, sonar said:

Not to take anything away from how Roly played tonight............ has played 42 games for us.......he owes us a good game or two.

Can you tell it's contract time?

[Upthehill]

Second half was fantastic. Very enjoyable.

Whilst Duke was pretty quiet, he’s absolutely fantastic when trying to control a lead. Every time he got the ball (barring one average distribution) he held on to it and kept his head up. Each time, he looked off the first option and placed the ball in space to a free man. His time in Japan has definitely improved his technique and vision. In days gone by he’d simply smash past people with relative success. Very much looking forward to seeing him get lots of time in the last few games with ABJ, they will create crap loads of space working along side each other

[Upthehill]

Just now, Jefski said:

Can you tell it's contract time?

Some guys respond to it. Others, like young Baccus, get a boost out of the show of confidence from the club. His second half defence was the best from him all season

[sonar]

1 minute ago, Jefski said:

Can you tell it's contract time?

Tbh....I think Roly will go to Perth.

[Horus]

3 minutes ago, Jefski said:

Can you tell it's contract time?

Very Castelan like...

[thefairy]

Just because Roly played one good game tonight doesn't mean he deserves to stay.

Roly can **** off. Time for MB to show Roly the door and bring in a better import who is consistently good.

He take that long hair donkey and elrich with him.

 

Good win but Adelaide didn't show up tonight. Defensively we are still ****.

[sonar]

8 minutes ago, thefairy said:

Just because Roly played one good game tonight doesn't mean he deserves to stay.

Roly can **** off. Time for MB to show Roly the door and bring in a better import who is consistently good.

He take that long hair donkey and elrich with him.

 

Good win but Adelaide didn't show up tonight. Defensively we are still ****.

Glad you enjoyed the win fairy.....lol...............agree somewhat about Roly.....I won't be too upset if he goes.....or stays.....lol

Edited February 16, 2019 by sonar

[Smoggy]

Well..I would be sad to see Roly go (not just based on tonight).....I think in the post match game interviews this season you can see how much it means to him, player of the season for mine...but anyway...

Edited February 16, 2019 by Smoggy

[Themumf]

Small point, but anyone else notice the lino on the far touch line was super keen to keep the ball nice and close when it was an Adelaide throw? Stopped it from rolling away a number of times. Elrich called him out on it too. What a flog.

[sonar]

2 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

Well..I would be sad to see Roly go (not just based on tonight).....I think in the post match game interviews this season you can see how much it means to him...but anyway...

I'm a bit ambivilant with Roly......he has had some really good games and some really poor games.....I'm ok with him if he resigns....and ok if he goes.....(if that makes sense.....lol)

[Burztur]

Season has begun!

[beatsurrender]

1 minute ago, sonar said:

I'm a bit ambivilant with Roly......he has had some really good games and some really poor games.....I'm ok with him if he resigns....and ok if he goes.....(if that makes sense.....lol)

Resigns or re-signs? 

 

[sonar]

Just now, beatsurrender said:

Resigns or re-signs? 

 

[Smoggy]

1 minute ago, beatsurrender said:

Resigns or re-signs? 

 

I think he is ok with both..

[Upthehill]

2 minutes ago, sonar said:

I'm a bit ambivilant with Roly......he has had some really good games and some really poor games.....I'm ok with him if he resigns....and ok if he goes.....(if that makes sense.....lol)

I had high hopes for Roly, he's a really likeable bloke. It simply hasnt worked out. If he was an aussie it would be a no brainer. I follow a club, not a player - lets enjoy his last few games then move on. If he goes to perth and turns it on, I'll be happy for him, but I dont think I'll miss his standard performances too much

[thefairy]

1 minute ago, sonar said:

I'm a bit ambivilant with Roly......he has had some really good games and some really poor games.....I'm ok with him if he resigns....and ok if he goes.....(if that makes sense.....lol)

Roly for me is another Castelan.

Plays like Messi one game, next few games he plays like Sotirio.

[Smoggy]

lol..we moan about player turnover..a player puts in a shift like tonight..and pretty much puts in the biggest shift of anyone this season and meh...ship him out, let him turn it on elsewhere cause we will get a better replacement ...sounds familiar...there are many more players that need to be shown the door before you get to Roly...

Edited February 16, 2019 by Smoggy

[thefairy]

3 minutes ago, Upthehill said:

I had high hopes for Roly, he's a really likeable bloke. It simply hasnt worked out. If he was an aussie it would be a no brainer. I follow a club, not a player - lets enjoy his last few games then move on. If he goes to perth and turns it on, I'll be happy for him, but I dont think I'll miss his standard performances too much

I agree with that.

If he was an aussie and we didn't lose a visa spot. I would keep him in a heart beat.

 

He is so dangerous when his on fire. A men with a lot of heart. I was exactly excited when we signed him but he was a massive let down especially the start of this season.

[Taurus]

Yeah team, nice easy victory.

That is 2 wins down, 8 more in a row to go

[Davo]

12 minutes ago, Themumf said:

Small point, but anyone else notice the lino on the far touch line was super keen to keep the ball nice and close when it was an Adelaide throw? Stopped it from rolling away a number of times. Elrich called him out on it too. What a flog.

Yep noticed that too.

They have enough trouble doing their own job properly without having to also play ball boy (for one team).

[tardotz]

The problem is that we cannot replace the whole team (I know it would be nice)  You have to hold on the the better more experienced players and built around them.

Roly is one of those players

[Smoggy]

Having said all of this...Roly will be dead cert dog shyte next week 

[Smoggy]

3 minutes ago, thefairy said:

I agree with that.

If he was an aussie and we didn't lose a visa spot. I would keep him in a heart beat.

 

He is so dangerous when his on fire. A men with a lot of heart. I was exactly excited when we signed him but he was a massive let down especially the start of this season.

You could pretty much put the whole team in that category though...

[sonar]

1 minute ago, Smoggy said:

Having said all of this...Roly will be dead cert dog shyte next week 

No....he'll want to impress Popa....lol