A short away journey awaits the Western Sydney Wanderers NPL side as they travel to Landen Stadium to take on Blacktown City on Sunday afternoon.
The match comes as the Wanderers look to end a three match losing streak, with these matches seeing the side only losing by one goal in each game.
Their last match saw them fall to a 2-1 defeat against the Central Coast Mariners; despite Aidan Simmons scoring a late goal, the side couldn’t find a late equaliser to snatch a point.
It wasn’t for a lack of effort, with Ariath Piol and George Antonis both forcing great saves out of the Mariners keeper, but it is a frustrating recurring theme for the team that is lacking a bit of luck in front of goal in recent games.
Piol and fellow key attacker Zac Sapsford did return from suspension in the last match, and their comeback in the side on a regular basis could be the spark that reignites the Wanderers going forward as they face important games in the next month.
Simmons has also excelled since returning to the team, being a menacing presence bombing up and down the right flank and creating great combinations with the likes of Piol and Marcus Younis.
Blacktown City have been somewhat inconsistent in recent weeks but sit in 5th on the table, having defeated Manly United 2-0 away from home in their last match.Two goals in six first half minutes from Lachlan Campbell and Charles Mendy secured their victory.
The key weapon for last year’s Grand Final winners is undoubtedly Jak O’Brien who has scored 11 goals so far this season. He wasn’t on the scoresheet the last time the two sides met in round two, but teammate Travis Major picked up the slack, scoring a hat-trick himself that included an 88th minute penalty that ended up deciding the game, with City emerging 3-2 victors in a game that saw Blacktown have Grant Lynch and coach Mark Crittenden sent off.
NPL NSW Round 17
Blacktown City FC vs Western Sydney Wanderers FC
Sunday 28 May 2023, 3pm
Landen Stadium
