Western Sydney Wanderers clinch vital win over Newcastle Jets
Western Sydney Wanderers finally found the result befitting of their performances after claiming their first home win of the A-League season to keep their finals hopes alive.
"We haven't won this year when we've been in front so it was very important for us today when we hit the lead that we could - not to see it out because that's hoping for the best - but actually play well enough to try and score again and make it difficult for the opponent to score a goal," Wanderers coach Tony Popovic said.
Goals from youngsters Lachlan Scott and Jaushua Sotirio sealed the Wanderers first win in seven games, downing Newcastle Jets at Campbelltown Stadium. A season that's been marred with rusty finishing, erroneous defending and unfortunate decisions going against the Wanderers was forgotten on Sunday afternoon as the Wanderers clinched a vital 2-0 win over the Jets to leapfrog them on the table to go level with sixth place Wellington Phoenix.
With their season on the line, the Wanderers were more determined and desperate to claw back into the top six and came close to taking the lead in the first minute. A combination between wingers Nico Martinez and Josh Sotirio gave the latter a shot on target that was deflected wide.
Wonderstrike: Lachlan Scott opened the scoring.Credit:Getty Images
It was an early warning from the hosts that set the tone of the first half with the two wide men being the chief tormentors. Mitch Nichols was at his best from distance, forcing a save minutes later from Jets goalkeeper Jack Duncan who was stretched to deny Sotirio another great chance on goal, getting his fingertips to a well-placed drive. The Wanderers' game plan was one that starved the Jets of possession, especially all service to their red-hot playmaker Andrew Nabbout.
That worked but only for so long and one of the league's best this season broke free from the shackles to lead the Jets' attack on the counter. His combination play with Devante Clut looked the most likely to source for a goal but their fluid movement struggled to convert into clear chances on goal. The unlikely figure of fullback Josh Hoffman held Newcastle's best opportunity to take the lead when his shot from the edge of the box caused a nervous moment before Clut missed a golden chance in the 40th minute, skewing his shot in front of goal well wide of the target.
The former Brisbane Roar man was made to rue that miss on the stroke of half-time when Wanderers teenager Lachlan Scott broke his A-League drought in emphatic fashion. Latching on to a piercing ball from Kearyn Baccus, Scott turned his man with one touch before firing into the roof of the net for his third competitive goal which have all come at Campbelltown.
The Wanderers had to ride a brief slump at the start of the second half marred by a number of officiating decisions that were at best lenient, at worst simply incorrect. The Jets capitalised with a number of bruising challenges and raids on the Wanderers goal, though struggled to test Vedran Janjetovic in goals.
At the double: Jaushua Sotirio celebrates the second goal of the afternoon.Credit:Getty Images
Western Sydney delivered the sucker punch on the 68th minute to give them hope of reaching the finals. Pouncing on a square-ball from captain Dimas Delgado, Sotirio fired through a crowded box to double the Wanderers lead and put them level with sixth-placed Wellington Phoenix on competition points. Striker Brendon Santalab returned from suspension and came close to making it three with a header 10 minutes from full-time.
Dominic Bossi is a football reporter with The Sydney Morning Herald.