The NRMA Insurance Western Sydney Wanderers cemented second place on the Hyundai A-League table by winning their sixth game in a row in the most hostile circumstances possible.
The NRMA Insurance Western Sydney Wanderers cemented second place on the Hyundai A-League table by winning their sixth game in a row in the most hostile circumstances possible.
The Wanderers did what no club has been able to do in seventeen straight matches – they beat Melbourne Victory FC at AAMI Park.
Goals to recently re-signed midfielder Iacopo La Rocca and marquee talisman Shinji Ono saw the competition newcomers beat the A-League super power 2-1 in a pulsating match in front of a deafening 21,638-strong crowd.
It was fitting for the club that is writing its own amazing story that its loyal group of supporters also made a major impression at such an occasion.
The 1000 or so red and black diehards that made the trek south were clearly audible thoughout the entire contest, and didn-t they have cause to cheer.
Six straight wins has not been achieved in the A-League since the Central Coast Mariners did it in December 2011.
The win sees the Wanderers break five points clear of Victory and breathing heavily down the neck of competition leaders the Mariners with only six rounds to go.
It would have been a remarkable night for any club but the way first year head coach Tony Popovic out manoeuvred his highly-regarded counterpart Ange Postecoglou was a standout.
The composure shown by the entire Wanderers outfit showed that anything was possible in their inaugural campaign.
“Where we are is well deserved and anything can happen from where we are right now,” said inspirational right back Jerome Polenz.
“To be the champions at the end then every round is important and this was another step.
“We will see where it takes us.”
Victory showed urgency early and tried to play their wide men in at every opportunity.
But it did not take long before the Wanderers set them on their heels.
A free kick taken by Ono on the right in the 11th minute found Nikolai Topor-Stanley in front of his man on the far post.
He played the ball down with his chest to La Rocca who only needed one touch to put it straight into the back of the net from close range.
Mateo Poljak played to a free Mark Bridge in the box a few minutes later and his left foot shot sailed over the bar.
Victory also had a good chance when Marco Rojas found Marcos Flores also free in the box but he took one touch too many and turned away from the goal and his support before he was swamped by defence.
In the 27th minute, Polenz pounded a ball at Victory keeper Nathan Coe and the deflection into the path of Ono was wasted over the cross bar.
Wanderers dominated the first half with six shots on goal to two and early in the second stanza the match was almost put to bed.
Adrian Leijer fluffed a pass back to Coe and it was seized on by Youssouf Hersi who should have buried it in the 54th minute.
In the 72nd minute the Wanderers went in for the kill and Polenz played Hersi onto goal.
His shot was blocked by Coe to Ono again and this time his left foot was clinical for 2-0.
Two minutes later Melbourne substitute Connor Pain kept the home side-s hopes alive with fine finish after he dashed towards goal.
He had been played clear by Billy Celeski after Ono made an uncustomary mistake.
Polenz was a standout all night and a last-ditched tackle on Rojas in the 50th minute saved a certain goal.
The Wanderers- next home game is against Perth Glory FC at Parramatta Stadium on Saturday at 5.30pm.
