The NRMA Insurance Western Sydney Wanderers have fallen to Newcastle Jets with a shock 2-0 loss at Pirtek Stadium on Sunday.
The NRMA Insurance Western Sydney Wanderers have fallen to Newcastle Jets with a shock 2-0 loss at Pirtek Stadium on Sunday.
A goal in each half to Kew Jaliens and Adam Taggart were enough to see a limp Wanderers outfit who were playing their third match in a week.
The defeat for the Wanderers means Tony Popovic’s side remain seven points behind league-leaders Brisbane, who now appear certain to finish with the minor premiership.
The Wanderers started brightly with Mark Bridge played in on goal before a master tackle by Josh Brillante denied the opportunity.
Despite some promising moments the Wanderers just couldn’t get going and were eventually made to pay eight minutes before the break.
Andrew Hoole made a metre of space for himself on the left and picked out an unmarked Jaliens at the far post who finished with his head.
The Jets put the result to bed on 64 minutes through Taggart.
Already denied by a brilliant save by Covic five minutes earlier, Taggart made no mistake this time although he had a bit of luck.
The fringe Socceroos attacker showed great speed and strength to hold off Nikolai Topor-Stanley just inside the box before his shot took a deflection off Matthew Spiranovic and flew high into the net.
Not even the introduction of attack-minded Brendon Santalab and Kwabena Appiah could help spark the home side.
Western Sydney Wanderers 0
Newcastle Jets 2 (Jaliens 37, Taggart 64)
Crowd: 12,079 @ Pirtek Stadium
Image Credit: George Suresh
