The Wanderers Academy youth teams have continued their fantastic performances in the National Premier League.
The Wanderers Academy youth teams have continued their fantastic performances in the National Premier League.
The Wanderers Academy youth teams faced Sydney Olympic over the weekend and showed plenty of character in what was almost a clean sweep.
U13s coached by Peter Kofinas
6-0 win against Sydney Olympic
It was a brilliant football performance by the U13s as they faced a strong team at the top end of the table. The players approached the match with great maturity and displayed creative football throughout the match. The challenge now is to find consistency in these performances and continue their development.
U14s coached by Rob Bradshaw
2-1 loss against Sydney Olympic
The stage was set for a Grand Final replay from last year with the Red & Black expecting a tough encounter. It was 0-0 at half time knowing that we needed to be better in some parts of our play to unlock a tough defence. An error at the back lead to the first goal for Olympic. This was impacted by a decision that did not favour our side. Not long after, we conceded a 2nd from a cross and headed finish by an unmarked player in the penalty area. The boys heads dropped momentarily and they showed great character to keep pushing. This lead to a goal for the Wanderers with 12 minutes to play. The Red & Black pushed for a 2nd but could not find an equaliser. Although it was not the result the Academy wanted, It was a good performance and also pleasing to have a couple of players return to the squad after being unavailable and also considering the significant amount of 14s players playing up an age group.
U15s coached by Geoff Abrahams
2-1 win against Sydney Olympic
The U15s showed plenty of character in the match, coming back from 1-0 down deep in the second half to win 2-1. The Wanderers didn’t lose their composure and played some brilliant football against a difficult opponent. The Red & Black got a well deserved two goals late in the game thanks to Dean Bosnjak. All the players stood up in this one and were helped by a number of under 14s who backed up after their game.
U16s coached by Shaf Shagol
5-0 win against Sydney Olympic
It was another dominant performance by the U15s which saw them take a confident 5-0 win over Sydney Olympic. Every single player put in a great shift and their consistent work on passing patterns really showed in their combination play to break down the opposition. It was a pleasure to watch the team dictate the tempo throughout the whole game and dominate possession.
U18s coached by Tom Vidovic
Washed Out
U20s coached by Yianni Tsattalios
4-0 loss against Manly United
The Wanderers U20s side played their first match of the NPL 1 season against a very well-organised and clinical Manly side. Early goals in both halves for Manly proved pivotal as the Wanderers tried to regain control and assert themselves in the match. In the first half after conceding, the Wanderers dominated possession and controlled most of the half creating a number of good chances to level the scores. Stefan Nikolic had a goal disallowed for offside after some great skill on the edge of the box from Yosi Sawalha. Alessandro Lopane also had a great opportunity to level the score, only to see his shot parried by the keeper after some great build up work and quick combinations on the edge of the Manly penalty area. The Wanderers had some chances in the second half with Bilal Chahine’s strike hitting the crossbar, however, Manly capitalised on their chances, putting the result beyond doubt. The result wasn’t the ideal start for the Wanderers however, there were enough positive signs within the performance to indicate that with more application and hard work they can bounce back this weekend against APIA.
