Wanderers hold FC Seoul to 0-0

Western Sydney have defied a horror recent schedule to keep their Asian Champions League defence on track, holding FC Seoul to a 0-0 draw on Wednesday.

The Wanderers had played seven matches in just 20 days prior to their trip to the Seoul World Cup Stadium to face the side they knocked out in the semi-finals last year.

The crucial point leaves the defending champions second in their group, behind Guangzhou Evergrande, halfway through the group stage and well placed with two of their three remaining group games at home.

But the heavy load continued to take it’s toll on Wednesday.

Coach Tony Popovic, back on the sideline after serving a two-match ban, was forced into a last-minute change, starting striker Kerem Bulut in place of Tomi Juric who pulled up with hamstring tightness in the warm up.

Making matters worse, the Wanderers also lost fellow Socceroo Matthew Spiranovic to the same complaint late in the first half.

The Wanderers, who haven’t conceded a first-half goal in all 17 of their ACL games to date, were able to keep FC Seoul at bay in the opening stanza.

The five-time K-League champions put the Wanderers under pressure early with defender Anthony Golec forced into a crucial clearance in the 17th minute before the hosts’ Colombian import Mauricio Molina sent the rebound just over the crossbar.

Labinot Haliti found himself in space and took a chance from long-range in the 32nd minute but sent it too high.

The Wanderers began to look dangerous before the break, with Bulut threatening while Molina also looked lively at the other end of the pitch but neither side could break through.

With key centre-back Spiranovic taken off in the 39th minute, Iacopo La Rocca was moved into the the centre of defence, with substitute Jason Trifiro taking the Italian’s spot in midfield.

Haliti was just millimetres away from breaking the deadlock in the 61st minute, rattling the crossbar with another long-range strike.

The Wanderers looked certain to score when a shot from Romeo Castalan rebounded and fell to Bulut in the 70th minute, but keeper Yoo Sang-Hoon diffused the point-blank shot.

Kim Hyun-Sung broke into the box in the 78th minute but failed to do much, with fellow substitute Lee Seok-Hyun attempting a strike just moment later.

Bulut has a golden chance to snatch a winner at the death but was denied again from close range by Sang-Hoon.

Despite plenty of attacking intent neither side could find the back of the net.