Melbourne City will be scratching their heads at how they didn’t leave CommBank Stadium with all three points against Western Sydney Wanderers. City had 31 shots to the Wanderers two, but both teams only managed to find the net once.
City started the game of the front foot. With players like Jordan Bos and Marco Tilio starting brightly for the away team with spectacular runs through the Wanderers’ defence. However, all that was missing was the finishing touch on the end of one of them.
But the home side opened the scoring in the 19th minute.
Former City player Ramy Najjarine played a killer ball to Brandon Borello in behind leaving Tom Glover with little to do to stop the top class finish by the Wanderers midfielder.
Having fallen behind in a game for just the second time this season, City was eager for an equaliser.
Thomas Lam came close in the 39th minute, firing a rocket of a strike towards the goal from a long way outside the box.
But City kept searching for an opportunity to hit the back of the net by maintaining most of the possession and remaining patient in attack, searching for the key pass that would unlock the Wanderers brick wall.
In the 53rd minute, Tilio had a chance to goal as he dribbled through several Wanderers’ defensive units before curling a left-footed strike into the upright.
The visitors did not have to wait much longer for that equaliser.
A bit of magic from Dutchman Richard van der Venne gave his team a leveller.
Picking up the ball just inside the box after a scuffed Wanderers clearance, the midfielder took a touch and a split second to compose himself before picking out the top corner with a stunning curling strike.
The visiting side did everything possible to put the ball in the net. However, it couldn’t break down a stout Western Sydney defense and had to settle for a share of the points.
Western Sydney Wanderers 1 (Brandon Borello 19′)
Melbourne City 1 (Richard van der Venne 53′)
CommBank Stadium
Referee: Jack Morgan
Assistant Referees: Ashley Beecham & Owen Goldrick
Fourth Official: Sam Kelly
Western Sydney Wanderers: LAWRENCE THOMAS (GK), ADAMA TRAORE, TOMISLAV MRCELA, MARCELO GUEDES, RAMY NAJJARINE (DANIEL WILMERING 61’), OLIVER BOZANIC, RUON TONGYIK (AIDAN SIMMONS 70’), ROMAIN AMALFITANO (SULEJMAN KRPIC 61’), BRANDON BORRELLO (MARCUS YOUNNIS 81’), CALEM NIEUWENHOF, NATHANAEL BLAIR (YENI NGBAKOTO 61’)
Unused subs: DANIEL MARGUSH (GK), ALEXANDER BONETIG
Melbourne City: THOMAS GLOVER (GK)), THOMAS LAM, MATHEW LECKIE, RICHARD VAN DER VENNE, JAMIE MACLAREN, AIDEN O’NEILL, VALON BERISHA (FLORIN BERENGUER 70’), CURTIS GOOD, MARCO TILIO (ANDREW NABBOUT 79’), CALLUM TALBOT ( SCOTT GALLOWAY 79’), JORDAN BOS (SCOTT JAMIESON 70’)
Unused Subs: NUNO REIS, MATTHEW SUTTON (GK), TARAS GOMULKA
Feature Image Credit: Steve Christo
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