The Western Sydney Wanderers have snatched a late winner to beat Mounties Wanderers 3-2 in a drama-filled NPL 2 clash.
A Philip Cancar header with 15 minutes to go secured all three points for the home side at a cold Wanderers Football Park.
Things were looking less than rosy for the Red & Black before the defender’s intervention however, after they let a two-goal lead slip.
Wanderers had started the match on fire and found themselves 2-0 up after only six minutes.
The first, on the three-minute mark, was a thing of beauty from Alessandro Lopane.
The crafty attacker effortlessly moved the ball onto his right foot and guided it into the corner of the net with a curling strike.
If Lopane’s goal was easy on the eye, Nectarios Triantis’ contribution three minutes later made you blink with disbelief.
With the ball coming in from a corner, players from both sides rose and the Mounties goalkeeper seemed to get lost in the chaos with Triantis heading into an empty net after the ball spilled out.
The ease with which they found the back of the net seemed to have an effect on Western Sydney as they took their foot off the gas.
With play slowing down, the match turned into a real arm-wrestle, Mounties refusing to concede what would have certainly been a deciding goal.
They were gifted a way back into the match in freakish circumstances when a clearing header from Triantis somehow found its way past Jack Warshawsky in goal.
From there the home side struggled with that final ball while Mounties grew in confidence after pulling one back.
That culminated in a second goal for the away side on 70 minutes, Cole Mutton’s effort taking a wicked deflection off Mohamed Al Taay and into the net.
Fortunately for Patrick Zwaanswijk’s side, that setback seemed to kick them into action and five minutes later Cancar rose from a set-piece and headed home to secure victory and second place on the ladder.
A fine effort to bounce back after a rollercoaster match. The boys are back in action at home next Saturday against Hills United FC.
Western Sydney Wanderers 3 (Lopane 3’, Triantis 6’, Cancar 75’)
Mounties Wanderers 2 (Triantis [OG] 17’, Mutton 70’)
Western Sydney Wanderers: 20. Jack WARSHAWSKY (GK), 21. Isaac HOVAR, 12. Nectarios TRIANTIS, 4. Mohamed AL TAAY, 3. Philip CANCAR, 7. Jarrod CARLUCCIO, 22. Dean PELEKANOS (10. Reuben AWARITEFE), 19. Bilal CHAHINE (5. Rhys YOULLEY), 14. Alessandro LOPANE (13. Aiden MOSTOFI), 23. Kosta GROZOS, 9. Ali AUGLAH
Unused subs: 18. Oliver KALAC (GK), 8. Joel BERTOLISSIO, 29. Mason FERNANDEZ
