The Western Sydney Wanderers have had a tough start to their Westfield W-League season after falling 3-0 to Sydney FC in the opening match of their campaign.
The Western Sydney Wanderers have had a tough start to their Westfield W-League season after falling 3-0 to Sydney FC in the opening match of their campaign.
Last season’s Grand Final runners-up showed their superior quality in front of goal on Thursday night as Caitlin Foord found the net either side of Chloe Logarzo’s strike.
The victory leaves the Sky Blues with six wins from the last seven Sydney derbies and erases memories of their nightmare start to the previous campaign when they lost their opening three games.
The Wanderers started with the five players who had made the cross-city switch, while the hosts were able to call upon their three American additions, including Savannah McCaskill who was only unveiled on matchday.
McCaskill’s class was evident from the start and provided the opener, with a perfectly weighted through ball for Foord allowing the striker to round Jada Whyman and slot into the open net in the 12th minute.
There was little between the rivals in terms of first-half stats but the quality of chances was a stark contrast, with Whyman denying an uncharacteristically wasteful Lisa De Vanna on several occasions, while Lo’eau LaBonta and Leena Khamis were largely limited to speculative efforts.
The Sky Blues’ dominance grew after the interval and Logarzo doubled their advantage on the hour mark as she drove towards the edge of the box and unleashed a shot that swerved underneath the grasp of Whyman.
Western Sydney had struggled to produce the required quality in the final third but LaBonta almost provided an early contender for goal of the season as she struck the inside of the post from range.
The woodwork then denied Logarzo a brace with a header at the other end, with De Vanna picking out her Westfield Matildas teammate with a perfect cross.
But the Sky Blues did get a well-earned third in the 76th minute with De Vanna breaking into the box and setting Foord up for a simple finish at the far post.
