The NRMA Insurance Western Sydney Wanderers have defeated Perth Glory 3-1 in their Hyundai A-League encounter at Pirtek Stadium on Sunday.
The NRMA Insurance Western Sydney Wanderers have defeated Perth Glory 3-1 in their Hyundai A-League encounter at Pirtek Stadium on Sunday.
The Wanderers dominated from whistle to whistle in arguably their best performance of the season with goals to Brendon Santalab, Aaron Mooy and Mark Bridge.
The Wanderers went close to opening the scoring in just the 7th minute with a curling shot from Mark Bridge drawing a fine save from Danny Vukovic in the Glory goal.
The ensuing corner also created problems for the visitors with a double save from Vukovic and a goal line clearance needed to keep the scores level.
This began a period of sustained pressure with a new-look Western Sydney central midfield combination of Aaron Mooy and Matthew Spiranovic combining well to close down the Glory midfield.
This resulted in a string of chances for the home side with the pressure finally resulting in an opening goal in the 29th minute.
Shane Smeltz was caught in possession for the Glory and the turnover sent the Wanderers on the counter.
Spiranovic started the break carrying the ball down field before finding Mark Bridge running into the left hand edge of the box. Bridge-s first touch was a deft ball across the face of goal for Brendon Santalab to finish from close-range.
The lead was doubled in spectacular fashion just five minutes later through an Aaron Mooy free kick.
The midfielder took the free kick from 35 yards out and his powerful strike took a slight deflection off the wall and flew into the bottom left hand corner to give the Wanderers a two goal lead at the break.
The second half started in the same vein with the Wanderers applying plenty of pressure.
Shinji Ono went close in the 52nd minute getting on to the end of a well flighted Bridge cross only to be denied once again by a fine save Vukovic.
Moments later Perth struck back against the run of play when a Wanderers free kick was picked off sending the visitors on the counter-attack.
A lofted through ball from Chris Harold was met by Smeltz with the Kiwi international-s first touch lifting the ball over an advancing Anti Covic.
The goal lifted the visitors and the match with the next quarter of an hour turning in to a tense affair.
Twenty minutes from time however, the Wanderers re-established their two goal lead.
Shannon Cole received the ball in plenty of space on the right hand flank and drifted into the area and between defenders before getting taken down earning a penalty.
Mark Bridge stepped up to take the spot kick and buried it in the bottom right hand corner despite Vukovic guessing the right way.
This would prove enough to extinguish the Glory comeback and give the Wanderers a well-earned three points.
Image Credit: George Suresh
