Sydney United 58 scored three second-half goals as the Western Sydney Wanderers NPL 1 side went down 3-0 in a disappointing loss.
The Wanderers welcomed Dallo Sandy and Lucas Sinnott to the side in a mostly unchanged lineup. Sandy operated as the striker, which saw Alaat Abdul-Rahman start in midfield.
The first half was an even contest, with both sides ruing missed chances. Patrick Antelmi’s 20th-minute strike from close range flew over the crossbar, marking the first big opportunity of the match.
The Wanderers were awarded a penalty shortly after, when Edmun Haddad’s strike struck Michael Glassop on the arm, resulting in a spot-kick for the Red and Black.
Awan Lual stepped up to take the penalty, but goalkeeper Josip Orlovic made the save following an underwhelming effort. It proved a turning point for the young striker, whose desperation to make amends led to a string of rushed chances.
Abdul-Rahman ended the half with the Wanderers’ best open-play opportunity, rounding the United keeper only for his shot to be blocked off the line twice before being cleared.
Sydney United opened the scoring just four minutes into the second half, with Carlos Di Oliveira getting on the end of a low-driven corner to give the Edensor Park side the lead.
Moments later, Mason Wells found space and curled a low shot past Sinnott for their second.
Leroy Jennings’ 77th-minute strike sealed the result, with a deflected effort sneaking past Sinnott for United’s third and final goal of the game.
The result sees the Wanderers lose back-to-back matches for the first time in nearly two months. They’ll rue the missed chances in the first half, which might have seen them head into the break in front and changed the shape of the game.
The Wanderers will look to bounce back when they take on NWS Spirit at Christie Park, aiming to rediscover the form that lifted them out of the relegation zone.
