Summary
So an emphatic first-salvo in the Sydney Derby for 2018-2019, and it’s first blood to Sydney FC’s Steve Corica and his new men against fellow tyro Marcus Babbel and his chargers.
They started brightly, the Wanderers, and Bonevacia and Riera in particular looked a handful early on. Baumjohann showed enough to suggest he could be more Shinji Ono than Vitor Saba in that critical No 10 position.
He’ll be alarmed however, the German coach, to see how badly his side drifted out of this contest; there wasn’t too much fight shown late on, but perhaps pre-season fitness and a lack of quality match time could still be a factor in that.
For Sydney FC it was a few moments of high-end quality that decided this one; Buhagiar’s cool finish, De Jong’s sublime freekick, and Le Fondre’s experience in first winning and then expertly dispatching the penalty to round the scoring, 3-0.
Not panic stations for the red & black half of Sydney therefore, but very much a missed opportunity to claw back some ground on their cross-town rivals who are developing a bit of a Shane Warne-Daryll Cullinan-style relationship through this fixture in recent years.
We’ll find out of course whether they’ve reversed that pretty shortly, as the A-League returns later this month, and we can gird our loins for three more Sydney Derbies.
Thanks for your company tonight!
Is it Hahndorf? Or is that just where the beers are from. The old memory’s not what it used to be, alas. (There might be an implicit connection between those two statements)
Maybe trip out to Humbug’s Scrub while you’re there too. I just found that on Google maps, and it sounds terrific.
And we’re off to Adelaide!!
Adelaide United has been drawn as the home side for the FFA Cup final, and it will be played at Coopers Stadium, October 30.
Book your tickets. Make a weekend of it and pop up to that wee German town in the hills that has the super bakery. You know the one. Wunderbar.
We’ve now got a live draw to find out who hosts the FFA Cup final. Are we off to Adelaide, or staying in Sydney on October 30?
We’ll find out shortly. Nice to see the FFA introducing this feature for the 2018 edition. Rather than, you know, just giving the home final to Sydney.
So a deflating prelude to the 2018-19 A-League season for Western Sydney Wanderers, who on this showing are still very much a work in progress.
“It was a game of two halves, and they took their chances, and we didn’t take ours”, was the post-match reflection from captain Brendan Hamill, who also took the opportunity to wish Adelaide United best of luck for the final.
Your final thoughts on that one? Our good man, John B with a terrific tabloid headline already:
Is “Babbel’s Rabble” too harsh @rrjparkin ? It wasn’t a penalty after all. One City, 2 teams but a Great Divide on this evidence.
— John Baldock (@JohnKGBaldock) October 6, 2018
Perhaps too soon, our John, but if they’re lurking outside the six 5-6 games into the A-League season it’s probably a fair line to dust off. Just remember, dear reader, you read it here first.
Full-time: Western Sydney Wanderers 0-3 Sydney FC
90+3 min: Cordier wins a late freekick from an acute angle. Baumjohann fires it in to the mixer and it’s flicked on by a Wanderers head, but in keeping with their evening, it just doesn’t fall kindly for the hosts, and bobbles harmlessly clear.
And that’s all she wrote! Wanderers out at the FFA Cup at the semi-final stage for the second year in a row; Sydney FC through to their third consecutive final!
90+1 min: Four minutes added on by referee Elder, to the perhaps indifference of almost everyone in the stadium.
He’s done relatively well tonight, the referee. The decision for Le Fondre’s penalty perhaps the only debatable call, but he’s keep emotions in check relatively well, without having to dish a lot of cards. Credit where it’s due.
Updated
89 min: It’s drifting to a tepid finish, this one. The substitutions have broken any momentum, and Sydney FC are happy to see the game out, while the Wanderers perhaps don’t yet have that full fitness to push this one all the way.
And for your delectation, dear reader, here’s that Siem De Jong freekick. Creamy.
All class from @SydneyFC's Marquee Siem de Jong in scoring his side's second goal of the night!#MagicOfTheCup pic.twitter.com/08DquJli7x
— FFA Cup (@FFACup) October 6, 2018
88 min: And a debut for Sydney FC – on comes Cameron Devlin, who replaces Brillante.
A freekick to the visitors, as Bonevacia is penalised. O’Neill stands over it, but the Wanderers defence heads clear.
87 min: Not too many smiles up in the corporate box of the Wanderer’s chairman Paul Lederer. It has been a bit of a kick in the teeth, this one, and I’m not sure of the exact stats (1 in 15?) but it extends this wretched run against their cross-town rivals.
85 min: And now a Wanderers debut for Mathieu Cordier, another player who’s Indonesia-bound with the Australia U19s later this month who replaces Llorente.
A small highlight for home fans, I guess.
82 min: A second substitute for Sydney FC, and it’s De Jong who departs for the youngster Paulo Retre.
After a quiet start, he really earned his biscuits tonight, the Dutch former international.
I’m waiting to see if they’ll upload his freekick on the FFA Cup twitter feed; as soon as they do, I’ll send that your way, good people. It was an absolute belter.
80 min: They have to be careful now, the Wanderers. They can’t afford to let this one get ugly. It’s a packed crowd of nearly 15,000, here in Penrith, you don’t want these fans going home too deflated.
They’ve not really shown as much in this second stanza, the hosts. They were largely the better side over the first 45, but it’s been a tale of two halves, this one.
78 min: That’s one heck of a penalty from the former Premier League striker.
If you’re Steve Corica you’re seeing three new signings all on the scoreboard, relatively early in their Sydney FC careers. How important could that prove for morale ahead of the A-League season proper?
Penalty! Western Sydney Wanderers 0-3 Sydney FC (Le Fondre)
75 min: Ach, ne! He can’t buy a trick in his first derby, Marcus Babbel.
Le Fondre has fired an absolute rocket, giving the youngster Nizic no chance, with a fortuitous kiss off the crossbar as that one flew into the net.
And that, very much must be curtains now.
74 min: And now a touch of controversy! Adam Le Fondre has gone down in the box after alleged contact from Elrich. Was there much in that? Anything in that? At all?
Referee Elder says yes, and he’s pointed to the spot!
Ooph, was that harsh on the Wanderers? Doesn’t matter – here he comes with the penalty..
71 min: Oh my. Llorente with a lovely curling effort, but again it just evades Riera. He was open at the far post, the Spaniard, but it just wouldn’t fall to him!
Meanwhile, the youngster Majok is in the book, for what was, frankly an ugly tackle on Zullo. It’s sparked a minor melee; and Alex Brosque has managed to find himself into the book as well.
He’s only been on the pitch a few minutes the FC captain. He does love to get disproportionately worked up against the team from the region of his birth. Head out to Horsley Park and just grab a nice big mate, lad. Simmer down.
69 min: Tidy work in midfield, as Grozos gets out of a tight one, but they can’t find the final pass to complement the move. It’s been Riera, Baumjohann and Bonevacia who have looked most likely tonight. Who of those three can lift their side?
66 min: Well, well, well. They’ve not been bad, the Wanderers, but they’ve found themselves on the wrong side of this. And Sydney FC, have been almost Arnold-era-esque, in their ability to take the lead, without ever really having impressed.
A calm finish from Buhagiar, a belter from De Jong. Two incredibly decisive moments.
And it’s the club captain Alex Brosque who enters the fray; he replaces the opening goalscorer, Buhagiar.
Updated
Golllllllllllllllll! Western Sydney Wanderers 0-2 Sydney FC (De Jong!)
63 min: Ay, ay, ay!! We’ve seen some absolutely top draw freekicks from some of the A-Leagues star imports, but that was as good as any from Siem De Jong!
He was a good 30m out, but the Dutchman fired a sharply curling effort, over the wall and into the top left corner. The ‘keeper Nizic couldn’t get there, and it’s now Sydney FC, almost in cruise mode!
An absolute golazo, from Siem De Jong.
61 min: Oooh! Terrific work from Riera once again, he senses an outside run, and plays an excellent disguised ball out to Risdon who fires at goal, one-on-one, but it’s a fine, strong save from Redmayne, who sticks a big right mitt down to repel the effort!
Abraham Majok the first substitute of the game, who comes on for Sotirio.
59 min: And I missed the update, but that heavy tackle on Baumjohann from Buhagiar (that was played on, as an advantage) did earn the Sydney winger a yellow card. So 3-0 on that count; and at least two of those have been for tackles on the Wanderers attacking playmaker.
56 min: Clash of heads, as Llorente and De Jong compete for a header inside the Sydney FC box. Freekick given to the Sydney midfielder.
Zullo now tries to spark something with an eager run. He ends a corner, as Bacchus looks to intercept, but ultimately drags over the goal line.
54 min: Wanderers now look to spark a quick transition as Baumjohann is once again fouled. You’ll hope he’s got titanium ankles this lad, otherwise it could be a loooong A-League season he’s got ahead of him.
Sotirio races into the box.. but he can’t quite get on the end of Baumjohann’s well-struck cross!
52 min: Freekick against Llorente as he catches Grant. O’Neill over it, and the chase to whip in a tantalising effort.
It evades the majority of players, but they recycle, do FC and almost fashion something, but De Jong’s connection is not a clean one.
50 min: Ooph. A tackle of the “lusty” variety, as O’Neill slides in heavily on Bacchus, and it’s another well-earned yellow. Both Sydney FCs DMs now in the book.
Goal! Western Sydney Wanderers 0-1 Sydney FC (Buhagiar)
47 min: Sydney FC with the bulk of early possession..
And they make something of it!
There really wasn’t too much to that; Sydney FC winning an aerial contest, finding De Jong centrally, and the Dutch former international feeds The Flyer with a well-weighted throughball, and the former Mariners slots it cooly past Nizic!
Something from nothing, and now what can the Wanderers muster?
Second half!
45 min: Aaand, we’re back!
Western Sydney Wanderers with the bulk of the better opportunities. No gilt-edged chances perhaps, apart from that moment in the 6th minute where only a full-stretch Grant denied Bonevacia from tapping home.
Redmayne has definitely been the busier of the two ‘keepers. But they’ve had moments of control in the middle of the park, the defending champions. The youngsters Grozos and Bacchus have done well in the engine room, but Ninkovic has found touches reasonably easily.
Baumjohann has been fouled a lot, but apart from that we haven’t really seen too much of the German; whereas opposite No 10 De Jong has similarly lacked influence. So far.
Who do you see as the X-Factor then, for this second half?
Half-time: Western Sydney Wanderers 0-0 Sydney FC
45 min: Risdon tries to get round Zullo, but there goes the referee’s whistle, and we’ve half time.
So no goals, but a few tasty half chances there. Your thoughts on that first stanza?
44 min: Danger averted; as Redmayne comes and claims the slightly lofted ball in.
Meanwhile, it’s a sliced clearance from Nizic at the other end that almost puts his backline under pressure.
Sotirio now fashions an effort from an acute angle; he gets it on target and Redmayne doesn’t handle it clearly.. but there’s nobody on hand to tuck home for Western Sydney!
43 min: Poor turnover from O’Neill, who only picks out his opponent Sotirio. Elrich is then caught by Buhagiar for another Wanderers freekick.
What can Baumjohann muster this time?
41 min: Sydney FC with a throw in near the corner flag. They play backwards though, and draw the Wanderers back out, as they pass it round the back four.
40 min: Terrific cross from Zullo! He plays the one-two to get around Risdon, before firing a wicked tracer bullet, that flashes past the goal, but just evades an on-rushing Le Fondre!
38 min: First yellow of the day, and its Brillante, who takes down Bonevacia as the Wanderers player looked to break on a fast transition. Always a card, in those circumstances.
36 min: A lofted ball for Buhagiar, but it’s just too high for the flyer. Not seeing a lot of Siem De Jong thus far. They’ll be keen to see more of the on-loan Ajax attacking midfielder.
And now a freekick against the Wanderers as Risdon is penalised for a sliding tackle that takes a touch of the man.
34 min: And now it’s Redmayne as a sweeper-keeper, racing off his line to beat the pacy Sotirio to a lofted through ball.
Sydney now with some sustained possession. Ninkovic again dropping deep, and centrally. That means however that they’re lacking width in the final third, FC, so they don’t really stretch the Wanderers backline.
Updated
32 min: Grant goes through the back of Baumjohann. I’ll admit, he’s one of the players I was intrigued to see in action tonight, given his pedigree, but gee whiz; he’s coming in for some attention, so far. He’s copped at least five fouls in this opening thirty already!
Very patient from referee Elder, who’s thus far kept the cards in his pocket.
30 min: Oooph! What a let off. A fine ball from Bonevacia, who rolls one behind the Sydney backline; but Riera doesn’t quite anticipate the ball, and it drifts agonisingly beyond the striker.
Real chance there for the home side!
28 min: Well directed freekick from Baumjohann, who finds Riera at the far post! He heads on target, but Redmayne stoops well to block the effort with a strong hand.
26 min: Very interesting to see Ninkovic dropping quite deep to claim the ball. As mentioned in the preamble, how he and Siem De Jong combine this year will be one of the real intriguing questions surrounding this new-look Sydney FC attack.
24 min: Sydney FC enjoying a patch of possession, but they’re caught in a quick transition, and Riera attempts a cheeky curling effort that almost catches out Redmayne between the sticks! But he backpedals well to recover and claim.
22 min: Good little spell this, for the Wanderers – Redmayne with two consecutive punches away, as Riera fires a terrific cross in that has the Sydney FC custodian scrambling.
He’s been busy for the past few minutes, the long-maligned shot stopper, but he’s stood up well to the examination.
Updated
20 min: Bonevacia does well to chase a lost-cause ball; and he gets round Wilkinson and ahead of the ‘keeper Andrew Redmayne, and it’s a corner for the Wanderers.
It falls for Baumjohann who scuffs his effort, it falls to the skipper Brendan Hamill.. who draws a sharp save at the near post!
Another corner for WSW.
18 min: He’s coming in for some early attention, the German, as now Grant fouls the Wanderers No 10. Another free kick in quick succession as Le Fondre jumps to block the set-piece delivery, but illegally, with use of the hand.
16 min: Ouch. A nasty sliding tackle from behind from Jop van der Linden on Baumjohann. A decent shooting opportunity, and the German picks himself up to take it.
He fires high, and well wide of the goal. Disappointing for a veteran of the Bundesliga and Brazil’s Serie A, of whom much is expected this years at the Wanderers.
13 min: Sydney FC starting to put their foot on it in midfield, a very lovely turn from Ninkovic sparks a move, with Brendan Hamill denying Trent Buhagiar at the expense of a corner.
A replay suggesting an interesting moments a minute or two earlier involving the Sydney FC flyer (via their Central Coast Mariners academy), as he appeared to be caught by the raised studs of Keanu Bacchus, inside the box.
No whistle though, and no penalty given.
10 min: And for fans of random one-hit wonder songs from over a decade ago, let it be know that every time your humble scribe tonight here’s the name Adam Le Fondre, he’ll be necessarily associating it with Mickey Avalon’s Jane Fonda.
Get on that, Cove fans. I want to hear a new terrace anthem.
8 min: Free kick in their own half to Wanderers, as Le Fondre fouls Elrich.
Now it’s Zullo earning the referee Daniel Elder’s ire, with a tackle from behind on Jaushua (sic) Sotirio.
6 min: Both sides feeling each other out a little at this stage. Few real risks being attempted by either team, with possession round the back four very much the theme so far.
And as soon as I say that, it’s Oriel Riera who springs the offside trap and unselfishly squares the ball across the face of goal for Bonevacia.. but it’s a brilliant interception from a recovering Rhyan Grant at right back! A goal-saving intervention!
4 min: An early knock to the head for Roly Bonevacia, who’s playing in a new role under Babbel, out wide in a 4-2-3-1 formation it appears.
He does have a hell of a motor, the Dutchman, and a pretty keen eye for goal. When he fancies it, of course.
2 min: Milos Ninkovic with some early touches but the Wanderers snap at his heels intently.
Brillante blows out some early cobwebs with a rusty pass that evades Zullo.
Kick off!
1 min: Wanderers get us underway, both teams in their traditional first strips of red & black and sky blue, respectively.
As an aside, how good is football in a nice cosy rectangular stadium look!
Updated
And our players are heading out the tunnel and onto the pitch in Penrith, and a very nice looking Panthers Stadium it is too.
What a sight, the RBB in full force and song, with the familiar OAK hoardings in the background that NRL tragics will readily associate with the Chocolate Soldiers.
Has it been another epic-ly long off-season? I don’t know about you, fair Australian football connoisseurs, but I am all of a sudden very much Up. For. This.
Kick-off shortly!
Updated
Your predictions for this one, tonight?
Feel free to join the conversation via email or fire something on twitter @rrjparkin. Remember there’s no thought too trivial, tendencious or off-topic enough for the Guardian Australia liveblog. Get your name up in lights and enrich the lives of your fellow readers with your most astute musings, insights and conspiracy theories.
I’m going to set the bar with a feel-pinion based in almost utterly nothing. Despite the odds, and the evidence of you know, eyes, I fancy Wanderers for this one tonight.
2-1? Sure. Why not.
A few interesting things to note in those respective XIs.
An enforced change at the back for the Wanderers, where Tarek Elrich comes in in the unusual position of centre back, due to injury to the German Patrick Ziegler.
Danijel Nizic also retains his place in goal, ahead of first-choice ‘keeper Vedran Janjetovic, and there’s a start for the youngster, Kosta Grozos, who’s just been called into the young Socceroos for the forthcoming AFC U19s Championship, if I’m not mistaken.
For Sydney FC it’s the same starting XI from their last FFA Cup match, with club captain Alex Brosque starting again from the bench, while the combination of both Milos Ninkovic and former Premier League star Siem De Jong, is frankly not too much short of terrifying.
Evening all! And good wishes to you from wherever you’re following our coverage tonight.
With kickoff just over fifteen minutes away let’s jump right into this like a Brendan Hamill two-footer on a silky No 10 playmaker.
Some team news:
Western Sydney Wanderers:
Here's how we'll be lining up in the @FFACup Semi Final #SydneyDerby! #WSW pic.twitter.com/cxeQviFNw2
— WS Wanderers FC (@wswanderersfc) October 6, 2018
Sydney FC:
LINEUP | Here's how your Sky Blues shape up for this massive @FFACup Semi-Final!!
— Sydney FC (@SydneyFC) October 6, 2018
What do you make of the squad?#SydneyIsSkyBlue #ComeWithUs #SydneyDerby #FFACup pic.twitter.com/rPQ8HO4de3
Preamble
It started with 781 teams, and in a few hours time only two will be left standing.
One of those will be Adelaide United, who won through to consecutive FFA Cup finals courtesy a 2-0 win over Victorian National Premier League side Bentleigh Greens last night.
Could their opponent be the same as last season’s decider – defending champions Sydney FC? Standing in the way of that is cross-town rivals Western Sydney Wanderers, who meet for a 19th Sydney Derby, but the first in the FFA Cup.
It’s a mouthwatering match up, especially for fans with an eye on the forthcoming Hyundai A-League season, who will be running the rule over some of the high-profile new signings for both sides, players like Adam Le Fondre and Alexander Baumjohann who have arrived in Australia with great pedigree, but as Con Constantine will tell you upon the arrival of Mario Jardel; sometimes you just want to double check you’ve got what you paid for.
A first Derby for both Steve Corica and Marcus Babel as head coaches, and you’d imagine neither one will be keen to cede early ground on their rivals.
An intriguing match-up awaits, therefore. Don’t miss a second of it here, at the home of occasional online football, if you can’t get to a TV or a radio I guess.
