A Kerem Bulut brace has inspired the Wanderers to a 4-1 demolition of the Brisbane Roar tonight.
With both sides struggling to assemble a full strength squad, there were numerous changes and unusual deployments, in particular ostensible midfielder Luke Brattan being deployed as a central defender. Western Sydney took full advantage of Brattan's inexperience in the heart of defence with their first goal after 20 minutes. Romeo Castelen released Labinot Haliti on the left wing, with Brattan unable to decide if he should track the ball carrier or the inside runner, Haliti slid the ball through to Nikita Rukavytsya, his first time shot from a long way out beat the Roar keeper with speed and deadly accuracy.
5 minutes before the break the Roar struck back from a set piece. Brattan delivered a corner to the 6 yard box. Ante Covic stayed on his goal-line when he could have taken the ball easily, Aspropotamitis was marking Adam Sarota and won front position only to have the ball rebound off his leg and past Covic for the equaliser.
In the last minutes of the half Haliti was once again the architect of a goal. One the counter Haliti provided a brilliant cross field pass that found Castelen, who completely bamboozled Steven Lustica, the cutback to Bulut gave the striker a tap-in for a 2-1 lead that Western Sydney held at the break.
On the hour mark the visitors had control of the game and looked certain to take home all three points, Takahagi drew several defenders inside then played a reverse pass that found the intelligent run of Castelen. Crossing the ball along the face of the goal might have been the more usual option but Castelen elected to blast a strike high at the near post, Young getting a touch but not enough to keep out the shot.
Bulut secured his brace and the match for the Red & Black with a clinical finish in the dying embers of the game, La Rocca fired a through ball that split the Roar defence in half, Bulut had enough pace to beat the cover defence and he finished smartly at the near post.
Their 3rd win of the season lifts the Asian Champions off the bottom of the A-League ladder, and should give them confidence for their final fixtures of the season.
The Wanderers next match is against Perth Glory on Saturday the 28th of March in Perth.
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