The Western Sydney Wanderers NPL 1 side return to Wanderers Football Park as they face Sydney Olympic on Saturday in a bid to extend their unbeaten run to four games.
The Western Sydney Wanderers NPL 1 side will look to extend their unbeaten run to four games as they take on Sydney Olympic at Wanderers Football Park.
The Wanderers are coming off a come-from-behind victory over a ten-man Mount Druitt Town Rangers, with the Red and Black scoring two unanswered goals to claim a 2-1 win.
Alaat Abdul-Rahman made her debut in an attacking midfield role, while goals from Awan Lual and Edmun Haddad capped off a composed and confident performance by the young Wanderers side.
Sydney Olympic saw past the Central Coast Mariners on Wednesday night for a 3-0 win, Cyrus Dehmie bagged a brace in a win that saw the Belmore side pick up their first win in two games.
The two sides last met in Round Two, where the Western Sydney Wanderers pulled off an upset win against the odds. Despite Sydney Olympic dominating possession, a crucial goal from Awan Lual against the run of play proved decisive, with the Red and Black holding on for a 1-0 victory.
Sydney Olympic’s inconsistency this season has caused them to lose ground on the leading pack, but a win on Saturday could bring them within just two points of the finals positions.
Many of Sydney Olympic’s losses this season have come against teams that rely on physicality and intense off-the-ball pressure. This plays into the Wanderers’ strengths, as their game is built around winning second balls and outworking their opponents. However, their main weakness remains converting those chances into goals.
The last three weeks have seen a change of fortunes for the Wanderers, who have been significantly more clinical, scoring seven goals across three games.
The Key Decider: Sydney Olympic’s Early Goal
In all but one of Sydney Olympic’s wins this season, they’ve scored within the first 30 minutes and gone on to secure victory. The Wanderers will aim to avoid an early concession and look to respond with a fast start of their own.
An interesting statistic reveals that in their defeats, Sydney Olympic concede an average of nearly three goals per game. With 16 goals allowed across six losses, it’s clear that their defense tends to become more vulnerable when the team is on the back foot.
Sydney Olympics form has demonstrated that they are capable of both a dominating performance and a capitulating defensive performance, but the result has shown to be dependent on how they start.
This game promises to be an exciting clash, full of unpredictability. The Wanderers’ recent form has given them a boost of confidence, fueling their belief that they can topple one of the competition’s giants.
NPL NSW Round 17
Western Sydney Wanderers FC v Sydney Olympic FC
Saturday 31st of May, 3:00pm
Wanderers Football Park
