The weekly segment which takes you through what our players are doing during the Hyundai A-League, Westfield W-League and Foxtel National Youth League off-season.
PLAYER WATCH
Our Socceroo Matthew Spiranovic had a fantastic World Cup campaign but unfortunately with Australia failing to qualify for the Round off 16 he finishes the tournament with a painful 3-0 loss to reigning World Champions Spain. Despite another solid performance from our central back Australia were unable to hold out a fired up Spanish side led by A-League bound David Villa.
Over to the National Women-s Soccer League in America where Tiegen Allen and Emily van Egmond suffered similarly frustrating results with Allen-s Western New York Flash falling to first placed Seattle Reign and Emily van Egmond unable to help inspire her side to a goal as they went down 1-0 to FC Kansas City.
In the Men-s NPL1 Blake Tuxford was our standout Red & Black player of the week as he made a fantastic debut for Blacktown City-s senior side who saw off APIA Leichardt 5-1. After several poised performances in the NPL2 Tuxford was rewarded for his hard work with a much deserved call up to the senior squad and he certainly delivered. Tuxford oozed confidence in his 90 minute debut ensuring APIA-s attack was frustrated time after time.
Alongside Tuxford for Blacktown City-s NPL1 victory was Shayne D-Cunha who came on for the final 20 minutes of the encounter. True to form D-Cunha was solid going forward consistently pushing City-s attack but unable to find himself on the score sheet.
While in City-s U20-s clash Matthew Stewart continued to prove crucial for Blacktown backing up from a goal last week with an assist for this weekend-s lone goal in their 1-0 win over APIA.
Over in Bossley Park Jake McGing had a less fortunate weekend on the pitch despite putting in a consistently positive performance Marconi were unable to hold on for a point, going down 2-1 to the Sutherland Sharks.
Down on the South Coast James Baldacchino and Sean Symons battled it out in the South Coast Wolves- clash with the Rockdale City Suns. Baldacchino had an incredible 90 minutes which saw him score his debut goal for the club as his side got ahead early in a 3-1 victory. Frustratingly for Symons the Wolves defense was compact and unrelenting making his job difficult on the left of midfield.
Brendan Hooper and Sydney Olympic also had a frustrating encounter against St George. After a dull first half Olympic began to dominate the match with St George unable to get anything past Hooper in defence. However, despite controlling the second 45- Olympic couldn-t capitalise resulting in a 0-0 draw.
In the Men-s NPL1 U20-s Mark Cindric-s weekend on the field had a similar feeling to last week with Cindric working tirelessly up front, linking well with his Sydney United 58 teammates and creating an abundance of chances only to see his team-s shots go astray and the match finish 3-0 to Manly.
While the Mt. Druitt Town Rangers in the Men-s NPL2 bagged another fantastic three points with no small thanks to their Red & Black keeper Thomas Manos. The Rangers climbed to 8th on the ladder thanks to a 3-1 rout of Hills Brumbies which saw Manos continue to provide fantastic distribution and reflex saves with his only conceded goal resulting from a superbly taken penalty.
Over to our Wander Women and Michelle Carney found herself once again on the score sheet for the Illawarra Stingrays in their clash with a tough Macarthur Rams outfit. Jordan Baker and Carney both attacked consistently throughout the 90 minutes in an effort to pull off some Wanderers magic but the Rams proved too strong taking a 2-1 victory.
Our Marconi Stallion for the Women-s NPL1 Helen Petinos had another great performance up front for Marconi soured only by a solid Koalas defense which without the likes of its unavailable Red & Black players Servet Uzunlar and Jessica Seaman was still able to hold out Petinos- efforts.
THIS WEEKEND:
With the Hyundai A-League season completed you can still support your Wanderers as our players star for another week in the National Premier League.
With the Socceroos campaign over and Emily van Egmond-s Chicago Red Socks on a bye this weekend our international focus is firmly on Teigen Allen and the Western New York Flash who take on a 9th placed Boston Breakers this Friday.
Taking to the field against Bonnyrigg White Eagles this Saturday night from 7:30pm is James Baldacchino who fresh of his first goal will be fired up and ready to help the South Coast Wolves onto a victory at Bonnyrigg Sports Club in Bonnyrigg Heights.
Thomas Manos and the Mt. Druitt Town Rangers also play this Saturday at 7:30pm coming up against Spirit FC. With the Rangers aiming to break into the top half of the Men-s NPL2 ladder Manos will have to be on his A game when the two sides meet at Poppondetta Park in Emerton.
The rest of your Red & Black men take to the field on Sunday with the biggest encounter between Sydney Olympic and the Marconi Stallions as Brendan Hooper faces his Foxtel National Youth League teammate Jake McGing. The two boys going head-to-head from 3pm at Belmore Sport Ground, Belmore.
In Blacktown our City trio of Shayne D-Cunha, Blake Tuxford and Matthew Stewart take to the field against Manly United with the U20-s kicking off at 1pm from Lilys Football Centre and the Men-s NPL1 straight after at 3pm.
While over in Rockdale Sean Symons will be looking to get his attacking flare back into action and help his side onto a victory over a struggling St. George side with that match starting around 3pm from Iliden Sports Centre in Rockdale.
Rounding out our men-s fixtures is Mark Cindric who-s Sydney United 58 host Blacktown Spartans. Cindric will be fired up and ready to get himself back on the score sheet against an often lethal Spartans outfit. You can catch this fixture at Sydney United Sports Centre from 1pm for the U20-s and 3pm for the NPL1.
In our Women-s NPL1 Jenna Kinglsey and the Blacktown Spartans will try to keep her inform Wanderers teammates Jordan Baker and Michelle Carney at bay when the Spartans host the Illawarra Stingrays at 3pm on Sunday from Blacktown Football Park, Blacktown.
Kingsley will then back up from that match with a Thursday night performance against FNSW with that match taking place from 7pm at Sydney Olympic Park in Homebush.
Jessica Seaman returns from suspension on Sunday as the North Western Sydney Koalas face a Manly side who will be licking their wounds following a 1-0 loss to Sydney United. Seaman takes to the field for the first time in two weeks at 3pm from Manly-s home ground Cromer Park in Dee Why.
Finishing out the weekend for the Western Sydney Wanderers Player Watch will be Helen Petinos who-s Marconi Stallions side will be eager to build on their 0-0 draw with the Koalas when they front up against Northbridge on Sunday at Marconi Stadium in Bossley Park from 3pm.
