A double from young attacker Nicolas Milanovic has guided Western Sydney to a 2-1 A-League Men victory over Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium.
Two first half Milanovic headers were enough for the Wanderers to claim maximum points on Saturday night, while the Reds finished the match with 10 men after Ben Halloran was given his marching orders.
Adelaide almost broke the deadlock on the quarter hour when Harry Van Der Saag lifted a cross to the back post where Zach Clough looped a header goal bound, but it was cleared off the line by Alexander Bonetig.
Three minutes later and the visitors did open the scoring.
Aidan Simmons rifled a 30-metre cross from the right to the back post where Milanovic headed into the ground and in off the upright.
United had a good chance on 27 minutes when Javi Lopez slipped in Halloran, whose shot from close range forced a solid reflex save from Western Sydney keeper Daniel Margush.
From the resultant Clough corner, Van Der Saag headed agonisingly wide.
The Wanderers doubled their lead on 35 minutes when Milanovic grabbed his second with another impressive header.
Lachlan Brook chased down an over-hit through ball from Brandon Borrello and kept the attack alive.
The former United winger whipped in a pin-point, left-footed cross from the right which Milanovic got to first.
Ben Halloran of Adelaide United cops a red card. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)
Western Sydney created a great opportunity almost immediately after the restart when Marcelo’s long ball over the top found Borrello.
The Wanderers striker chased it down but Reds keeper James Delianov raced off his line and thwarted the attack.
Just before the hour, Brook should have added a third when he dribbled through United’s defence and lifted the ball over Delianov but just wide.
On 75 minutes Halloran was controversially sent off when chasing down Simmons, referee Alex King deeming he had caught the Wanderers defender high on the calf.
In the 94th minute, the Reds grabbed a consolation goal when substitutes Nestory Irankunda and Luka Jovanovic combined.
Irankunda picked up possession and drove at the Wanderers’ defence before slipping through Jovanovic who slid his shot under Margush.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, United pushed for an equaliser and went close when Austin Ayoubi shot low and hard from just inside the area but it was deflected clear by Marcelo.
Denzo
Roar Rookie
Wanderers fan here. It was never a red card for the Adelaide player. I don’t think two of the red cards in the Melbourne Victory game were correct either. It didn’t help that CCM Mikael Doka was simulating all the time especially with the free kick that caused the goal. That made the referees job so much harder. I assume Doka is South American? Had to laugh at Chapman too with gross overacting over the headbut. What it does prove is that the FFA doesn’t have a Rudan problem, but that we have a standard of refereeing problem. What Rudan experienced is pervasive around all the clubs. The incompetence is leagu3 wide.
Football Fan
Roar Rookie
How does that WSW player not get a red card when he goes into Van Der Saag with his studs up so high leaving red scratches all over his ribs! Where is Rudan's rant now? What happened to the big conspiracy against WSW? He is such a fool.
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
Bonetig staying on was ridiculous! WSW should have been down to 10 a few minutes into the game. King is a ridiculously poor ref!
Marzinho
Roar Rookie
I think everyone was confused, even the players and Halloran... the referee was showing a red to Simmons for simulation. In seriousness, definitely not a red card. I feel it was making up for Farrell's red card last week. If i want to bring my tin foil hat out and talk conspiracies... could it be to help WSW win so that their fans are more confident in beating SFC and therefore more people to the stadium? That, plus only giving Rudan 2 games and a suspended game instead of 3 games on the trot which coincides with missing the derby? General tickets i usually get for mates or partner to sit next me at the game are usually $30 but have gone up to $50 for the derby. Am i thinking too much?
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Adelaide aren't anything like they used to be.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Unbelievable decision yet again involving the new dirt kings in the A-league the Mariners. Clear forceful headbut a lot harder than the Jankolis one and Torres escapes a red card. I though the refereeing was favouring the Mariners but this absolutely confirms it. Yet again Simon and Harper agree with an unbelievable decision.
Garry
Roar Rookie
I think Borello shouldve got a red for flicking his boot out when barged off the pitch.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
its a narrative that season upon season is proven wrong factually. season 23/24 #4 in tackles per match #3 tackles per match #10 yellow cards per match #5 in red cards (with a couple of awful ones given, that weren't dont let last nights match (where adelaide had the highest fouls they've conceded in a match) cloud you vision. Every team has that happen against the wanderers, there is a not a side in the league better at time wasting, drawing in fouls etc than the wanderers
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
appalling officiating once again against adelaide - yet again more examples of where the 'east coast bias' terms comes from. alex king is one of 2 refs (the other being daniel elder) that adelaide have complained about before and during the season to the a league refs boss. there was a confrontation outside the refs rooms in the tunnels after the match as well (that has not gone widely reported). i still have no idea how borello & bonetig (appalling challenge) stayed on the field
Garry
Roar Rookie
lol yes ridiculuous red .. Veart needs to act like Rudan so a couple of games down the track he’ll get a bad decision for him!! Outstanding pass by Irankunda, I was anticipating he’d go for glory but no did the team thing.. Wasted op by AU unfortunately.
Waz
Roar Rookie
The problem with Wanderers rants is they saw things in isolation. If they looked around they could see other clubs were having similar issues, it wasn’t isolated to one team. There were a few things driving this; the first is we do have a lot of players arriving in challenges with studs up giving the referee a decision to make. This can be fixed in coaching. Secondly, our referees seem to be struggling with interpreting the laws this season, officiating is as much an art as it is science and the rigid application of laws (as they seem to be trying) is both inflexible and unrealistic - the refereee’s boss has a problem on his hands - if the only tool you have is a hammer everything looks like a nail … I recon the referees have been trained “if you see this, it’s a red card” a bit too much.
NoMates
Roar Rookie
Pretty soft red card, but its Adeliade the kings of thuggery so i cant blame the ref for that. If Adeliade actually played the ball and not the man they might get somewhere.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Have all the previous rants delivered unfair refereeing decisions in WSW’s favour now? It can and does happen in sport when pressure is placed on referees and umpires.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
I only watched the first minutes of each half and then the final 5 minutes and didnt know someone was sent off when watching the final minutes. Adelaide were dominating despite being a player down. The send off is another ridiculous one, Halloran does seem to accidentally tread on the back of his foot. Whats interesting about the replay is what Isaias was up to he is flinging out his leg studs up and narrowly misses. The first minutes of the match he comes flying in and elbows Clisby and gets nothing . Last minutes of the match we had this weird double act Isaias cleaned up Brook with a dirty challenge should have been yellow and Broook gets up very gingerly when he certainly could have stayed down , at the same time Kittell goes down in hystrionics when Buovilina puts an arm out across him. It was ridiculous acting in that case and Buovalina got the yellow card and Isaias got nothing. With Farrell taking out Antonson it seems Milanovic has been the beneficiary as Borrelo will go wide not and do more to set up play. Milanovic has been very good but stuck on the wing, I would like to see him as the 9 not as a winger and he comes into Socceroos considerations.
Waz
Roar Rookie
Further proof that the system is against Wanderers. I mean, pffft, what do wanderers have to do to get a break? Another controversial red card, it’s amazing Wanderers bother to show up to games. Seriously, if I were the Wanderers Chairman snd sat on the APL Board I’d be chasing the referee down the tunnel post game, this is a disgrace, how can the ref issue a red card like that? It’s just not fair to wanderers and the best thing to do is for Chairman and Head Coach to make a total Ass of themselves in public otherwise nothing changes. Grrrrr, talking utter b*llocks is the best response when WSW can’t pull a decent crowd without the help of SFC, maybe we can use it in marketing? Grrr, be angry everyone, grrr. Grrrr, rant, rave, something something something suits something :angry: