The Western Sydney Wanderers face their first big test of the Australia Cup campaign with a trip south to face Adelaide United on Thursday.
It has been smooth sailing for Alen Stajcic’s side so far with two wins over NPL Queensland opposition.
They flexed their muscles in the Round of 16 victory over Lions FC, with a strong second half seeing them take home a 4-0 win, with some of the young stars from Western Sydney shining under the lights.
It took a little bit of time for the Red and Black to find their attacking rhythm, but Nicolas Milanovic opened the scoring with a low and powerful drive, before the floodgates opened in the second half with goals from Zac Sapsford, Marcus Antonsson, and Marcus Younis.
Oscar Priestman and Aidan Simmons also recorded handy assists, a great sign to come ahead of a season where the younger talent in the squad will be given a chance to shine.
Younis’ goal also marked his last appearance at the club for at least a season, with the exciting forward moving to Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven initially for a season on loan, though they have a chance to make the deal permanent; Younis also signed a contract extension at the Wanderers.
With the A-League season fast approaching, Stajcic and his staff will be looking for the side to get closer to top gear, with more training and friendly matches meaning the squad is beginning to be whipped into shape, and new signings will also have the chance to make an impact.
Bozhidar Kraev could make his debut against the Reds, whilst Jordan Holmes also may replace the injured Lawrence Thomas.
And superstar attacking midfielder Juan Mata is also close to joining up with his teammates after signing for the Wanderers for the upcoming season, with his wealth of experience and clear quality set to elevate the Wanderers in an attacking sense for the upcoming season.
They will also fancy themselves to do the job against a side they have had a strong record against in recent times.
Adelaide lost to the Wanderers in all three league and cup meetings last season; the Reds were badly beaten in the cup 5-0, before losing 1-0 and 2-1 home and away in the league respectively.
It is a time of transition for Carl Veart’s side as they recover from losing key players Joe Gauci and more recently Nestory Irankunda.
They have signed former Wanderers winger Dylan Pierias and still have a clutch of youngsters who will look to make an impact.
They have been far from convincing in the competition so far, needing extra time to defeat NPL NSW side Blacktown City, and just about managing to hold off a late fightback from WA side Olympic Kingsway in the Round of 16.
They have pedigree in the Australia Cup, having won the competition three times since its inception, with the last triumph coming in 2019.
It is something the Wanderers are desperate to emulate as they look to add silverware to their collection ahead of a highly competitive league season.
A win for the Wanderers would see them match their best ever finish in the competition and would also set up a semi-final clash with either the Melbourne Victory or Moreton City Excelsior.
Adelaide United vs Western Sydney Wanderers
Thursday 12th September, 7:30pm
ServiceFM Stadium
