- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Sydney FC pinched a win in the Sydney Derby thanks to a 90th minute goal from substitute Shane Smeltz.
REPORT: SMELTZ STEALS WIN FOR SYDNEY
Jacques Faty gave Sydney the first goal of the match in the 22nd minute, but then Western Sydney brought the scores level with one from Dario Vidosic.
It looked like the derby would end in a draw until Smeltz scored the goal from a penalty box scramble after Sydney were given a free kick for Nikolai Topor-Stanley holding George Blackwood up by the shirt.
Final score
Western Sydney Wanderers 1
Sydney FC 2
A fiery encounter will be in the offing once again when the Western Sydney Wanderers host cross-town rivals Sydney FC at Pirtek Stadium on Saturday evening. Join The Roar for a live blog of the Sydney Derby from 7:30pm AEDT.
With the 11th installment of the Sydney Derby set to take place in front of a sell-out crowd, the fixture could prove to be decisive as both sides are still in the hunt for the premiership crown this season.
For Tony Popovic’s men, at least, their upcoming outing could see them leapfrog Brisbane Roar to the top of the table with the Red and Blacks currently a point adrift of the league leaders.
Furthermore, extra pressure will be placed on the side to overcome their lacklustre form in recent derbies, as the Sky Blues have won four of the last five encounters – the Wanderers’ previous win taking place in the corresponding fixture back in 2014.
Nevertheless, the Western Sydney outfit will have to drastically improve from their last match after being undone 2-1 by Melbourne City, a result which ended their 10-match unbeaten streak.
Popovic, however, will be boosted by the return of Brendan Santalab from injury while Scott Neville is expected to return to his spot as right back after serving a one-match ban.
Furthermore, the Wanderers are undefeated in their last six home matches and would back themselves for yet another win at Pirtek.
Meanwhile, the Sky Blues head into the fixture off the back of a four-match unbeaten run, culminating in a comfortable 2-0 win over the Newcastle Jets, where Ali Abbas secured a fairytale return by scoring after a 14-month injury lay-off.
Veteran attacker Alex Brosque, Brandon O’Neill, Andrew Hoole and Alex Gersbach will miss the clash and Sydney will have to rely on the likes of Milos Ninkovic and Filip Holosko to step up against an in-form Western Sydney outfit.
Prediction: Wanderers 3-2 Sydney FC
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.