The Western Sydney Wanderers’ NPL 1 side delivered a ruthless Sydney Derby performance, bouncing back from Round One defeat with a dominant 4–0 statement over Sydney FC.
The Western Sydney Wanderers NPL 1 side delivered a commanding Derby performance, dismantling Sydney FC4-0 in a display that saw them pick up their first three points of the season.
The breakthrough arrived inside seven minutes and it was a moment of class from Alaat Abdul Rahman. Timing his run perfectly, he raced through on goal and showed superb composure to lift a delicate chip over the keeper into the bottom corner to open the scoring.
The Wanderers continued to pile on the pressure. Atiya Waraga came close to doubling the advantage soon after, only to be denied by a sharp reflex save from the Sydney goalkeeper.
In the 38th minute, it looked certain the lead would grow when Awan Lual saw his powerful effort blocked inside the area. What followed was a frantic goal-line scramble, with Sydney desperately throwing bodies in the way to prevent the ball from crossing the line, a chaotic sequence that summed up the Wanderers’ dominance in the first half.
Their persistence was rewarded right on the stroke of half-time. Oscar Moore stepped up over a free kick and curled a superb effort beyond the wall and out of the keeper’s reach to make it 2-0, capping a first half the Wanderers largely controlled.
After the break, the Red and Black remained disciplined and compact, nullifying Sydney’s attempts to build momentum while continuing to threaten in transition.
As Sydney committed bodies forward, the Wanderers exploited the spaces with precision. Lual, who had threatened all afternoon, finally found his reward in the 79th minute with a composed finish before sealing the afternoon with a second six minutes later. It was the perfect exclamation mark on a ruthless performance.
More than just a derby win, this was a statement from the Wanderers. After the disappointment of the opening round, the response was emphatic and to bounce back in such fashion against their fiercest rivals shows the mentality within this group.
The promise of the opening round paid dividends and now the Wanderers head to Edensor Park to take on league leaders Sydney United 58 in a bid to look for back to back wins.
