The NRMA Insurance Western Sydney Wanderers have suffered their first loss of the Hyundai A-League 2017/18 season, falling to Adelaide United in a 2-0 defeat at Coopers Stadium on Sunday.
A goal in either half from Adelaide’s Ryan Kitto sealed the win for the home side in a game that had plenty of talking points with the VAR being called into action on a number of occasions.
The first occasion saw Wanderers captain Robbie Cornthwaite sent off for a second yellow card on 20 minutes, after the VAR adjudged the defender to have handled the ball in the box.
The Red & Black were left off the hook though as Baba Diawara sent his penalty bouncing off the post.
With the numerical advantage, Adelaide began to carve out a series of good goal scoring opportunities, with Kitto coming closest with a header that rebounded off the post.
On the stroke of half-time the home side would find their goal, as Kitto tucked home a loose ball at the far post.
The VAR was consulted for a potential offside but the goal stood and Adelaide took a 1-0 lead into the break.
In the second period the Wanderers continued to hold firm and could’ve well had an equaliser when Oriol Riera jumped to meet Raúl Llorente’s cross but the number 9’s header crashed off the crossbar and away to safety.
Instead it would be Kitto who would find his second of the match, finishing off a swift Adelaide counterattack just after the hour.
With 15 minutes left to play, Adelaide were reduced to 10 men after Ben Garuccio was sent off for a high boot on Roly Bonevacia; the VAR deeming the challenge a send-off after referee Chris Beath had awarded a yellow card.
Yet the Wanderers were unable to pull anything back in the final stages of the match, suffering their first loss in the league this season.
Josep Gombau will look to get back to winning ways on Saturday when the Wanderers host Brisbane Roar at ANZ Stadium.
