That’s all from me for tonight on an evening when fears of off-field indiscretions proved unfounded.
I’ll leave you with Phil Withall and the Cockney Rejects.
All the flares putting their feet up tonight. I'll get my coat. @JPHowcrofthttps://t.co/uXIKpcQ0JE
— phil withall (@phil_withall) February 20, 2016
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It was a frenetic and exhausting Sydney derby in front of over 40,000 fans at Allianz Stadium but it was a match lacking in quality where it mattered most to send either side home victorious. Sydney FC will be the more disappointed of the pair after the volume of clear chances spurned either side of half-time.
Matt Jurman summed things up in his interview with Fox Sports seconds after the final whistle. “It feels like a loss, we had so many chances,” the man of the match said. Those chances kept falling to Matt Simon but the big striker failed to find the back of Liam Reddy’s net.
The draw sees both teams retain their prematch positions on the ladder as the A-League top six continues to bunch together as finals approach. It’s the fifth game without a win for Graham Arnold at the beginning of a testing period for his side. A flight to Japan awaits on Sunday morning. For the Wanderers, a seventh derby in a row without tasting victory.
Full time! Sydney FC 1-1 Western Sydney Wanderers
Just the goal apiece then in an engrossing Sydney derby.
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90+2 min: The visitors taking the sting out of the final minutes at Allianz Stadium but a clumsy foul from Faty hands them a free-kick from just outside the box near the left touchline. The cross amounts to nothing for the Wanderers but the counterattack favours Sydney FC. A rapid burst feeds Hoole in the inside left channel and he curls a shot inches wide of Reddy’s far post.
90 min: Half-chance for Santalab late on. Vidosic wriggled free down the right and curled in a teasing cross that the substitute reached first but couldn’t steer inside the near post.
Four minutes of added time.
89 min: Brendan Hamill the latest player to suffer cramp but he stays on the field, for now. Sydney FC upping the ante as the game draws to a close, all three substitutes featuring heavily down the home side’s attacking right.
88 min: The game has yet to emerge from its lull with fouls, turnovers and sundry interruptions getting in the way.
Hang on, suddenly an end to end flurry of action breaks out courtesy of a mazy dribble from Jamieson. Sydney FC exploit the space he left behind and attack down their right but nothing comes of it with Carney leaning back and side-footing over the bar.
86 min: Dimitrejvic finds space in attacking territory but it’s all a bit narrow and a promising attack fizzles out.
Super sub Brendon Santalab comes on for Mark Bridge.
84 min: Good free-kick from Jamieson is flicked on well by Sotirio but the ball drifts wide of Janjetovic’s goal. Sotirio is booked soon after.
83 min: The game’s dipped into one of those lulls dominated by stoppages. Amongst this is a yellow card to David Carney. Can one of these sides gather the strength to snatch a late winner?
81 min: The Wanderers haven’t offered much going forward this half. There’s been little link play between Dimas and Andreu and the men in red and black ahead of them.
Oh, it’s Poznan time.
79 min: Seb Ryall into the book for Sydney FC, perhaps a little harshly. Holosko is done. Cramp has ended his night in disappointing fashion, replaced by Andrew Hoole.
78 min: Holosko looks cooked. Superb curving pass from Ninkovic isn’t honoured by the Slovakian international and the Wanderers break when they should have been under pressure.
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76 min: Heading into the closing stages at Allianz Stadium with the result still in the balance.
Show me a better atmosphere in sport I dare ya #SydneyDerby pic.twitter.com/R7WnGV1rV5
— Edwin Smith (@edwin_smith1) February 20, 2016
74 min: Milos Dimitrjevic comes on for Alex Brosque. That will presumably see Ninkovic push further forward. Graham Arnold forced into managing his troops in such a bust part of the season. He won’t enjoy the sight of Filip Holosko on the turf stretching his calves looking out of puff.
72 min: Save! What a moment for Janjetovic, diving to claw out a looping header off his line. It was Vidosic with the header after Sydney FC failed to clear a deep free-kick.
The Wanderers are finally up and about in this half.
70 min: Shane Smeltz is playing much straighter than Simon, causing the already booked Topor-Stanley a few problems.
68 min: Corner from Carney causes carnage in the Wanderers’ penalty area. Three half-chances emerged as the ball ricocheted around the box, eventually leading to Jacques Faty heading wide from six yards. Sydney FC have had enough opportunities to be in front.
66 min: Those substitutions and a few niggly fouls have taken the sting out of the game in the last few minutes. That will favour the Wanderers who have been chasing the game this second half.
64 min: The Wanderers haven’t had much attacking pressure this half but Vidosic ghosts between lines to create space and earn his team a corner. After which Shane Smeltz enters the fray to replace the industrious but goalless Matt Simon.
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62 min: First substitution with Castelen being replaced by Jaushua Sotirio. Curious decision if Castelen’s not injured. Rhyan Grant will be delighted.
60 min: Matt Simon is the game’s defining presence. Again he has a chance, creating space just inside the Wanderers’ box but his shot is within reach of the diving Liam Reddy. Simon could have had a hat-trick already tonight. Should have at least one.
I hope Matt Simon goes into management one day. An anger to rival Arnold and Muscat #SydneyDerby @JPHowcroft
— phil withall (@phil_withall) February 20, 2016
58 min: It’s from one of these Ninkovic release passes that Sydney FC almost score from. Grant overlaps down the left, fed by Ninkovic, and his gorgeous cross is headed wide by the omnipresent Matt Simon. Sydney FC creating the most dangerous opportunities since the break.
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57 min: Sydney FC getting joy in the channels through Simon and outside the fullbacks with Carney and Holosko. Ninkovic has slotted into more of a quarterback role than a number 10 in the absence of Dimitrijevic and his passes are dictating the tempo of this half so far.
Almost the record...
Tonight's Sydney Derby crowd: 40,382 #WSW #SydneyDerby
— WS Wanderers FC (@wswanderersfc) February 20, 2016
... and no reported flare sightings either.
54 min: Audacious long range effort from Simon has Reddy scrambling but the ball sails just over the crossbar. Almost the goal of the season for the big striker but it’s the bread and butter finish of a minute earlier he will rue.
53 min: Simon has to score! Sydney FC linking well in the front third and the ball finds its way to Matt Simon near the penalty spot with just Reddy to beat but he scoops his shot over the bar. End-to-end stuff now at Allianz Stadium.
50 min: Castelen’s pace on the break is impossible to handle and he forces a corner that is spilled horribly by Janjetovic. Nightmare moment for the Sydney FC keeper but the Wanderers can only play the ball across the face of goal, and not in it. Lucky escape.
48 min: Sydney FC start the second half brightly with Matt Simon and David Carney forcing the Wanderers defence to misplace a number of clearances. There’s no final ball from the Sky Blues though with Ninkovic and Brosque both guilty of losing possession in threatening areas.
46 min: No changes at half-time. The rain has eased though, which should help the players after a helter-skelter first half.
Poppa giving that whiteboard an absolute thrashing at halftime. Watch for some crazy runs from Castelen in this second half #SydDerby
— Richard Parkin (@rrjparkin) February 20, 2016
Half-Time: Sydney FC 1-1 Western Sydney Wanderers
Tempers fraying again as the players storm off for a cup of tea and a quarter of an orange. That half built nicely after a slow opening with neither side in the ascendancy. Mitch Nichols looks the most dangerous player out there but the delivery of Carney and Holosko from wide areas means Sydney FC look threatening on their forays forward.
All to play for in the second half.
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45+2 min: Pressure piling on Sydney FC now with a hat-trick of corners causing mayhem in the home penalty area. The ball doesn’t bounce kindly for the Wanderers though and the referee’s half-time whistle brings calm to proceedings.
45 min: More silky interplay from the Wanderers, this time involving Nichols and Bridge, and again Castelen is the man with the chance but Sydney FC smuggle the ball behind for a corner.
43 min: Super play from the Wanderers with Nichols pulling the strings in a passing move the length of the park. The chance eventually falls to Castelen in the box but some desperate defending blocks the shot. Probably the most flowing move of the match so far.
Topor-Stanley the second Wanderer in the book with a foul plus kicking the ball away double-play.
Phil Withall emails an astute comment: “Evening Jonathan, Irrespective of who is credited with the equaliser the assist has to go to Liam Reddy. Sydney seem a different side since his moment with Jurman.”
40 min: Another decent chance for Sydney FC. David Carney skins Hamill down the left and sends over a teasing cross for Holosko to head low to Reddy’s left but the goalkeeper makes the save.
Good response this from the home side.
39 min: The goal came about following the first passage of multi-phase possession for Sydney FC. There was time and space in midfield for the home side to work the ball and the Wanderers’ defence around Allianz Stadium, creating one on one opportunities down the flanks.
37 min: Alex Brosque may claim that goal, but for now I’m crediting Scott Jamieson with the crucial touch.
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GOAL! Sydney FC 1-1 Western Sydney Wanderers (Jamieson OG 36)
The home side are level! A patient build-up down the right leads to a dangerous cross that causes chaos in the Wanderers’ box. The ball returns to the mixer and Alex Brosque unfurls a flick that catches Scott Jamieson’s leg and dribbles past the wrong-footed Reddy.
36' GOALLLLLLLL!!!!! Brosque restores parity as his flick is deflected in! 1-1 #SydneyDerby #SydneyIsSkyBlue pic.twitter.com/ZfGd5c8lUF
— Sydney FC (@SydneyFC) February 20, 2016
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33 min: No Sydney FC player is following Mitch Nichols and his runs are causing the Sky Blues defence all sorts of trouble. He fails to control a long through-ball with the goal at his mercy, the ball skipping away off the wet surface.
31 min: Things are heating up out there in the rain with Matt Jurman and Liam Reddy squaring up angrily after Reddy threw the ball into Jurman’s face as they disputed the award of a corner. Reddy is the first name in the book for his troubles.
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28 min: Save from Janjetovic! Space opened up for Vidosic on the counterattack and he opened his body to strike around the Sydney FC goalie but a full length dive repelled the shot. Excellent goalkeeping. Mitch Nichols again instrumental in the build-up to that chance.
26 min: Allianz Stadium is still resonating from a Sydney FC strike clanging against the crossbar. What a strike from Matt Simon, cutting in from the left and curling a right-footed shot that smacks against Liam Reddy’s crossbar. So close to an equaliser.
The best atmosphere in Australian sport, thanks to all at Allianz Stadium tonight! #SydneyDerby pic.twitter.com/mifJgryw7W
— Hyundai A-League (@ALeague) February 20, 2016
23 min: The Wanderers are the more composed in possession but Sydney FC are almost in again, this time courtesy of a Nikolai Topor-Stanley howler that almost sent Alex Brosque through.
21 min: David Carney should score. He somehow wriggled in behind the Wanderers back four, worked the angle on his left-foot to shoot across Liam Reddy but his finish is tame and easily saved. Massive opportunity for the home side to get back in this.
Down the other end Mitch Nichols forces a better save from Vedran Janjetovic with a rising shot from outside the area.
18 min: Alex Brosque leading the charge for Sydney FC as this match starts to open up in the rain. His burst results in a long range strike from Filip Holosko but still nothing yet to worry Liam Reddy.
15 min: The Wanderers are swarming all over Sydney FC now as the rain buckets down over Allianz Stadium. Two more chances follow the goal in quick succession with Mitch Nichols and Dario Vidosic finding space around the edge of the Sky Blues’ box.
GOAL! Sydney FC 0-1 Western Sydney Wanderers (Vidosic 13)
Out of nowhere the Wanderers are ahead. Mark Bridge was the creator with a burst down the left and he delivered a telling cross that found the head of Dario Vidosic who planted the ball firmly past the Sydney FC keeper. Game on!
He loves a goal against Sydney FC #WSW #SydneyDerby pic.twitter.com/xQEcq5lNnU
— WS Wanderers FC (@wswanderersfc) February 20, 2016
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11 min: First corner of the night for the visitors and it results in a Dario Vidosic header limply drifting wide.
This match is lacking a touch of flair.
9 min: Both sides still feeling each other out, like sparring boxers in the early rounds of a fight in which neither pugilist has been paid to fall over. The Wanderers look a different beast with Dimas and Andreu in their midfield. Perhaps the most important component of any side in the league this season.
7 min: Sydney FC win the game’s first corner and it leads to a decent hit from Brandon O’Neill from long range that skips just past Liam Reddy’s left-hand post.
5 min: The Wanderers are enjoying the best of the early exchanges with Sydney FC careless in possession. Castelen is the target for Wanderers sorties forward but so far no chances have materialised.
Peeeeeeeep!
2 min: After the ridiculous face-off prelude to this blockbuster it’s a nervous start from both teams. Romeo Castelen’s battle with Rhyan Grant is shaping up early as a crucial head to head.
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It’s a perfect night for football at Allianz Stadium. It’s about 22 degrees, there’s a gentle breeze, and the pitch looks as good as can be expected.
Allianz Stadium is anticipating a venue record crowd for a home and away season A-League fixture. The figure to beat is 41,213.
Let’s hope there are no flares at the football.
Don’t forget you can join in the fun by emailing your thoughts to jonathan.howcroft.freelance@guardian.co.uk or sending a tweet to @JPHowcroft.
Stat attack, courtesy of Opta:
- Sydney FC are undefeated in the last six Sydney Derby’s including wins in their last three, the longest winning streak of either team in this fixture’s history.
- Only two of the last seven iterations of this fixture have not been decided by a single goal.
- After back-to-back home losses Sydney FC will be out to prevent a third on the bounce which would equal their longest home losing streak in A-League history.
- Western Sydney have won four and drawn two of their last seven games away from home in the A-League and only once in that span have they been kept to one goal or fewer.
- Four Western Sydney Wanderers players (Jamieson, Redmayne, Vidosic, Nichols) have played in all 19 matches this season, only Brisbane have more (5 players).
- Sydney remain the only team yet to score a goal from outside the box this season while Western Sydney have scored a league-high six.
Western Sydney Wanderers Team News
Some big changes for the visitors, headlined by Liam Reddy’s first start for the Wanderers since his move from Central Coast Mariners. Andrew Redmayne has performed well this season but conceding five to the Phoenix last week has opened the door for Reddy to stake his claim.
Elsewhere, the influential midfield duo of Dimas and Andreu return from suspension and injury respectively. They were both sorely missed last week. Brendan Hamill gets a start at centre-half with Alberto and Jonathan Aspropotamitis both suspended. Still no Federico Piovaccari in the Wanderers’ squad.
Bench: Andrew Redmayne (GK), Shannon Cole, Kearyn Baccus, Jaushua Sotirio, Brendon Santalab #WSW #SydneyDerby
— WS Wanderers FC (@wswanderersfc) February 20, 2016
Sydney FC Team News
Graham Arnold has shuffled his pack as the fixtures begin to pile up for the Sky Blues. Out go George Blackwood, Mickael Tavares, and Milos Dimitrijevic from last week’s XI, replaced by Matt Simon, Filip Holosko and Brandon O’Neill.
LINE UP | Here's how your Sky Blues line up for tonight's clash! Thoughts? #SydneyDerby #SydneyIsSkyBlue pic.twitter.com/09roOk4yOH
— Sydney FC (@SydneyFC) February 20, 2016
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Preamble
It’s derby day in Sydney and typically it arrives with a stack of sub-plots to make it a mouthwatering match-up.
Both sides suffered upsets at home last time out, making this a real test of character for clubs with title aspirations. The Wanderers remain firmly in the hunt despite their 5-2 reversal to Wellington Phoenix and can return to the top of the ladder with a win tonight. Sydney FC’s situation is far more precarious and last week’s defeat to Perth Glory means the men from the west could leapfrog last year’s beaten grand finalists into the top-six by the end of the day.
Graham Arnold’s side carries the best head to head form into this fixture, with the Sky Blues undefeated in their last six derbies. Tony Popovic has yet to get one over the man he once played under as a member of the Socceroos coaching staff.
This match arrives in a testing period for Arnold. His side hasn’t won in its last four and is embarking on a month of football that sees it take on three of the top five in the A-League as well as energy sapping trips to Japan and South Korea in the Asian Champions League.
Oh, and in case you had been hiding under a rock all week, the entire competition is on notice for fan behaviour. All eyes will be on Allianz Stadium to scrutinise a fixture that hasn’t always been the most neighbourly in spirit.
Jonathan will be here shortly. In the meantime, have a read of Paul Connolly’s piece on Ali Abbas, who tends to polarise opinion in his adopted city.
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