NPL Preview: Wanderers v Wollongong Wolves

Our NPL NSW side face Wollongong Wolves at home and will be looking to turn a disappointing run of form.

Important match information can be found here.

An under-strength Wanderers side have hit for confidence after a couple of tight losses, and it has unfortunately resulted in some below-par performances in recent weeks, which the team is desperate to correct as soon as possible.

Last weekend they fell to a 3-0 defeat in the Sydney Derby at home in a result and performance that even for the circumstances facing the team was not good enough, and coach Andrew Christiansen is sure to have stressed this point in training this week.

There was a brief experimentation with a three-at-the-back formation to begin the derby last weekend, with Ricky Fransen being drafted in as a third centre-back alongside Antony Barbic and Roman Culina, but having switched to the more traditional 4-4-2 in the second half, it remains to be seen what shape the Wanderers will line up with.

What they do know is they will need to put in a much improved performance against a Wolves side who have been one of the form sides of the competition in the last month.

After a patchy mid-season run of form, the Wolves are unbeaten in their last five games, winning four of them to be just four points off the finals places.

Led by former Wanderers A-League players Vedran Janjetovic and Lachie Scott, the South Coast side will be looking to get revenge over the Wanderers after the Red and Black defeated them at WIN Stadium earlier in the year.

It was one of the best performances from the Wanderers this season, as a team without it’s A-League stars outplayed a then second placed Wolves side on the road, securing a 2-0 win with late goals from Ryley Hollingdale and Leon Alizart; with the race for finals places heating up, the Wanderers would give anything for a similar result on Saturday.

NPL NSW Round 22
Western Sydney Wanderers FC vs Wollongong Wolves FC
Saturday 29th March 3pm
Wanderers Football Park (restricted access)