The Western Sydney Wanderers returned to winning ways on Sunday afternoon after a 3-2 victory over Blacktown Spartans.
The Red & Black moved up the ladder to fourth following the win, which came from a double from Mohamed Najjar and a penalty from Charles Abou Serhal.
The Wanderers were quick off the mark, opening the scoring in the fifth minute after Matthew Lecce and Emmanuel Gonzalez combined well to set up Najjar, who struck from close range.
Gonzalez was involved in every dangerous attack in the first half and made a couple of chances of his own.
Abou Serhal went close to extending the Wanderers lead with a 20 yard free kick that was headed for the top corner but Spartans keeper Joel Tinker was able to make the save.
In first half stoppage time, the Red & Black doubled their lead after Gonzalez won a penalty.
Abou Serhal stepped up and confidently slotted the ball into the bottom corner.
The Wanderers were unlucky not to make it 3-0 early in the second half. Again, it was Abou Serhal threatening from a dead ball situation, as he rattled the crossbar with a 25 yard free kick.
Five minutes later Abou Serhal would be denied by the frame of the goal again.
It was only a matter of time before the Red & Black would get a deserved third goal and it came in the 64th minute.
Gonzalez chipped a fabulous through ball over the defence for Najjar, who held off a defender, before slotting the ball home for his second goal of the game.
Amazingly, the Wanderers managed to hit the frame of the goal for the third time, as Lecce unleashed a 30 yard volley which crashed off the underside of the bar.
It wasn’t until the final 15 minutes that Wanderers keeper Mackenzie Syron was tested making a good one-on-one save from Michael Konestabo.
A minute later, the Spartans found the back of the net as Ben Ansah rose highest from a corner to reduce the deficit to two goals.
The Spartans would then ensure a final few minutes after Alex Boyadjian scored from 25 yards out to make it 3-2.
Syron went on to make some crucial saves in stoppage time to preserve the win.
The win completed a perfect day for the Wanderers who now move back into second place in the NPL 2 Club Championship after wins in the U18s and U20s.
Next weekend, the Wanderers will play Hills Brumbies at Sydney United Sports Centre on Saturday 8 July. Kick-off is at 7pm.
Blacktown Spartans 2 (Ben Ansah 78’ Alex Boyadjian 90’)
Western Sydney Wanderers 3 (Mohamed Najjar 5’ 64’ Charles Abou Serhal pen 46+1’)
Western Sydney Wanderers: Mackenzie Syron, Tate Russell (Malcolm Ward 65’), Jordan Hall, Noah Pagden, Mathieu Cordier, Tariq Maia, Charles Abou Serhal (Adrian Viggiani 75’), Matthew Lecce (Kyle Cimenti 72’), Mohamed Najjar, Oliver Puflett, Emmanuel Gonzalez
Unused subs: Daniel Axford, Samuel Silvera
Other results:
U20s: Spartans 0-7 WSW
U18s: Spartans 1-6 WSW
U16s: WSW 9-0 Macarthur
U15s: WSW 5-0 Macarthur
U14s: WSW 4-1 Macarthur
U13s: WSW 1-2 Macarthur
