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  • Farcical CWC Debut For Wanderers

    mack

    By mack

    The Western Sydney Wanderers were two minutes away from facing Real Madrid but two red cards, two penalties and three goals from Cruz Azul saw the hopes of the dream fixture dashed.

     

    On four occasions clubs from Australia have entered the Club World Cup hoping to face the giants of world football. South Melbourne did so against Vasco da Gama, Necaxa & Manchester United as a result of the format of the competition in the year 2000 involving a group stage, while Sydney FC & Adelaide United crashed out with losses in the quarter finals with Liverpool & Manchester United of England respectively beckoning in the semi-finals.

     

    The Western Sydney Wanderers were hoping to become the first Australian side to advance to the semi-final but were undone by Cruz Azul of Mexico in a frantic and farcical encounter. Conditions in Rabat were non-stop lashing rain, with the pitch pooled into oceans of water that looked more suitable for Vasco da Gama the Portugese explorer rather than his namesake club from Brazil.

     

    Labinot Haliti should have been awarded the opening goal of the game, having bundled the ball over the line only to see it disallowed. Replays showed on clear reason for the decision and it was the start of several baffling decisions from the officials on the night.

     

    The soggy deadlock was broken in the 65th minute. Seyi Adeleke lobbed a cross into the box that was half-cleared by the Mexicans, only as far as Iacopo La Rocca who blasted a shot that skidded off the wet surfaced and nestled into the bottom corner. Holding on in the tough conditions was made even harder by the sending off of Matthew Spiranovic for a second yellow after a handball. The resulting free kick was smashed in but a finger tip save from Ante Covic kept the Wanderers in front.

     

    The 88th minute saw the game swing the way of the Mexicans. A hopeful ball up front was deflected by a Wanderer into the path of Marco Fabian. Shannon Cole came in to defend and his attempt at a clearance was foiled by the waterloged pitch and he was adjuged to have fouled Fabian. Gerardo Torrado stepped up from the spot and sent Covic the wrong way, sending the match into extra time.

     

    The clock ticked over to 101 minutes as the Wanderers lost the second of their starting central defensive pairing. In this instance Nikolai Topor-Stanley had been booked earlier in the match for a foul made by Adeleke in a case of mistaken identity, and was given a second yellow for preventing one of the Cruz Azul attackers from getting in behind the defence.

     

    Azul took the lead for the first time as Pavone tapped home from a wonderful first up save by Covic, the second shot from Pavone at point blank was one no keeper in the world could have kept out.

     

    The dreams of playing Madrid were gone in the 119th minute as the referee gave another penalty, Polajk sliding in to prevent a cross had the ball hit his hand and it was declared deliberate. Torrado finished low and centrally and shortly after the referee managed to do something right and blew his whistle to end what was an agonising match to watch for everyone associated with the Wanderers.

     

    Cruz Azul now go onto the Semi-Finals against Real Madrid, while the other semi-final sees Auckland City take on San Lorenzo.

     

    The Wanderers will take on ES Setif of Algeria in the 5th place playoff at 3:30am on Thursday the 18th of December.

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    Dyssius

    That's karma folks. It's a bitch.

     

    SOOOO close though...just like the a-league grand final :(

     

    Hope Real Madrid were watching and decided the go out and absolutely thrash this terrible mexican team as revenge for injustice (more than they were going to anyway). Ronaldo to score 10 and lift his shirt to show Topor tattooed on his chest....

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    bombagol
    • Popular Comment

    So proud of the team! Every player gave 120% and ran themselves ragged. Atrocious conditions, heavy field, down to only 9 men, and they still fought hard until the last minute! I'm surprised that, Poljak for example, could walk off the field and the physio didn't have to carry him. Well done boys!

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    SBW

     

     

    Popa: ref was here on work experience.

     

    This was the same ref we had in the WC against Chile

     

     

    Ng34chU.jpg

     

     

    World class ref this one

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    lloydy136
    • Popular Comment

    Biggest positive for today was there was no hint of disunity or lack of commitment from the players that many of us were concerned would be a hangover from the pay dispute.

     

    In atrocious conditions was a very determined and committed display.

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    tardotz

    As soon as I saw the ground condition even before the game started I thought this will be won or lost by a studied mistake.

    There were heaps of mistakes from both side but the worst mistakes came from the ref and linesman.

    The game should have never been played. What happened to the rule that is the ball stops rolling the game has to stop?

    Can't really fault the effort from the players and when you consider a disallowed goal a pen not given and 2 send off...there was always going to be one result and even if it went to penalties the ref would have made them re take them until they score.

    Seems that FIFA wanted to show the world that penalties are gives against WSW after the ACL final

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    Zurdok

    Being honest, the conditions were a levelr most of the game, if the pitch was in better conditions WSW would have been outplayed badly (that doesn't mean Cruz Azul would have won).

     

    The ref obviously had bad calls, but that happens, just like the teams can't control the weather nor the pitch conditions.

     

    I said it in the other thread, but I liked your CB pair and the GK, a bit of the Italian dude who scored too, would like to see them in a low-midtable team here in Liga MX, the rest was meh.

     

    The TV Azteca (Mexico) commentators were glady impressed with how "honest" WSW game is, but also noted how limited most players were. Also they were joking that to be part of your team you had to be really tall, well built and with a model-like face and hairdo... lol, they jokingly said they'd like to have a Mexican representative in your team, and proposed Aldo de Nigris... would be nice to see how he far there too ahaha... I remember him being a beast against a Korean team in a CWC for Monterrey. xD
    Aldo-Denigris-hugoboss.png

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    tardotz

    Just on Topor-Stanley's first yellow card, do you think he knew he received it and decided not to protest because otherwise it would have been given to Spira, who would then be sent off?

    yes he did. If you watch it you can see him asking "is it me?"

    I guess he knew he could get it wiped after the game and it saved spira.(for a bit)

    Edited by tardotz
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    Smoggy
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    Let us not forget the 40 or so WSW fans who made the epic journey and spent their hard earned money following the boys out there  :good:  They were shown on TV at the end there, great commitment from those guys.

     

    Hope they see some great sights around Morocco, it is a really interesting place to visit, I am sure they will be tucking in to some great food and drink.

    Edited by WSWBoro
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    lloydy136

    Fair points zurdok. Its hard for attacking players to make much of an impression in those conditions.

     

    Our acl success has been built on a strong and physical spine of the team - gk cb 2 holding mids + juric up front (although often as a sub) so not surprising really that it was some of those guys that stood out for you.

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    wilsonpastore

     

    Just on Topor-Stanley's first yellow card, do you think he knew he received it and decided not to protest because otherwise it would have been given to Spira, who would then be sent off?

    yes he did. If you watch it you can see him asking "is it me?"

    I guess he knew he could get it wiped after the game and it saved spira.(for a bit)

     

    but he was asking the questions to adeleke who was standing on his left. he knew it was suppose to be adeleke

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    jocosmic

    Being honest, the conditions were a levelr most of the game, if the pitch was in better conditions WSW would have been outplayed badly (that doesn't mean Cruz Azul would have won).

     

    The ref obviously had bad calls, but that happens, just like the teams can't control the weather nor the pitch conditions.

     

    I said it in the other thread, but I liked your CB pair and the GK, a bit of the Italian dude who scored too, would like to see them in a low-midtable team here in Liga MX, the rest was meh.

     

    The TV Azteca (Mexico) commentators were glady impressed with how "honest" WSW game is, but also noted how limited most players were. Also they were joking that to be part of your team you had to be really tall, well built and with a model-like face and hairdo... lol, they jokingly said they'd like to have a Mexican representative in your team, and proposed Aldo de Nigris... would be nice to see how he far there too ahaha... I remember him being a beast against a Korean team in a CWC for Monterrey. xDAldo-Denigris-hugoboss.png

    Azul's dominance came only when we went men down. Till then I think it was pretty even. There's no denying our first goal should've stuck. We had Ruka pulled down in the box which would've been a clear penalty. That would've been 3-0 up.

    Azul got three goals 2 of which were penalties. We scored two actual goals on the field.

    In that sense I think we topped them but it is what it is. Congratulations to Azul. They won we didn't. That's football.

    I kind of almost wish we weren't in the ACL again do the lads can just rest up a bit and concentrate on the A league.

    Oh, and as bad as it was, I hold no grudge against Cole. He was just trying his best to clear the area. There was no intent or lazy play. He must be gutted the poor guy. ******* bad luck. That's all it was, could've been anyone.

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    wilsonpastore

    The conditions.

    The officiating.

    The commentary.

    Announcing a 5 000 crowd as 22 000.

     

    Welcome to a FIFA run event.

    made me giggle hearing them claim the crowd to be 22,000. was not even half of the sight of the cake tin on a typical sunday.

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