A city is divided for the second time this season.
The Wanderers’ 10-match unbeaten streak was snapped last week by a hat-trick of special goals from Melbourne City imports Bruno Fornaroli and Harry Novillo. After conceding a 2-0 lead to the hosts, the Wanderers fought back to level the ledger and may have even taking the lead barring a refereeing decision that had the masses talking.
Nevertheless, City prevailed on the night to send the Wanderers home with nothing, setting the scene for the red and black to bounce back against their fiercest of rivals.
Albeit against a weaker opponent struggling in front of goal, Sydney FC brushed aside the Newcastle Jets at temporary home ANZ Stadium last Saturday. The win was the Sky Blues’ second in three and was highlighted by a fairy tale goal scored by Ali Abbas, who returned from a 14-month injury lay-off.
More than just local bragging rights are on the line in this latest edition of the Sydney Derby, with the chance there for Sydney FC to move level with their neighbours on 27 points with a win.
Key Battle – Mitch Nichols vs Mickael Tavares
Nichols is one of the most in-form players in the A-League, adding to his tally of seven goals against Melbourne City last time out. The former Melbourne Victory man is the fulcrum of the Wanderers’ attacking play and is a complete number 10 – a creator capable of bursting into the box and drifting out to the flanks.
He is likeliest to cause the Sky Blues headaches and Mickael Tavares will be the one with the responsibility of containing that headache and breaking up Nichols’ good work. Tavares is the eighth-best tackler in the A-League and has success rate of 60%, a percentage bested only by Brisbane Roar’s Thomas Broich.
Limiting Nichols’ output will not be easy, so the onus will be on Tavares’ fellow midfielders to lend a helping hand.
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Team News
Jaushua Sotirio has flown out to join Olyroos camp so will be unavailable. Brendan Santalab has been named in an extended squad, so too has Scott Neville who returns from suspension. His selection could mean stand-in right-back Jacob Pepper drops back to the bench. Tony Popovic may be tempted to recall Romeo Castelen who enjoyed an excellent 30-minute cameo off the bench against Melbourne City.
Graham Arnold has the luxury of maintaining a winning formula if he chooses. Ali Abbas has returned to the squad and is fit and firing, again likely to appear off the bench rather than from the get-go. In any case, Abbas taking to the pitch would be symbolic. Pirtek Stadium is the very place he suffered that horrific injury 14 months ago.
Head-to-Head
Sydney FC nudge the ledger in 10 derbies with five wins versus the Wanderers’ three. The Sky Blues are unbeaten in the last five derbies.
Previous Meeting
With the result headed for a 0-0 stalemate, Milos Ninkovic bobbed up in the 88th minute to clinch all three points for Sydney FC in October last year in a 1-0 win.
Prediction
It is difficult to settle on a result or a winner from the outset. The Sky Blues are unbeaten in three, though their two wins in those fixtures cam against as many of the A-League’s weaker sides Central Coast and Newcastle. Nevertheless, Sydney brushed both aside with ease.
Meanwhile, the Wanderers will be hurting after suffering a late defeat against Melbourne City that broke their 10-game unbeaten run, having tied things up with a quarter of an hour to go. Further, they will feel hard done by the whistle of Jarrod Gillet and will desperate to make amends. What better stage for it?
Western Sydney Wanderers 2 Sydney FC 1
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