Western Sydney Wanderers have closed the gap to second-placed Melbourne City to just one point after a 1-0 win over Newcastle Jets at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday night.
The Wanderers remain in the hunt for a top-two finish after recording their 11th-straight game without defeat, thanks to a second-half Zac Sapsford strike that ended the young forward’s two-month goalless drought.
Alen Stajcic’s side confirmed their place in the Finals Series on Saturday night, off the back of seven wins and four draws in their last 11 games; the Wanderers’ all-time unbeaten run was notched in 2012-13, when Tony Popovic’s side went 13 games without a loss.
Saturday’s 1-0 win sent the Wanderers back above Melbourne Victory and Western United into third place on the Isuzu UTE A-League table, one point behind Melbourne City who host Adelaide United in the late kick-off on Saturday.
Anything less than a win to City would keep the Wanderers in the hunt for second spot, with the final round of the regular season set to play out next weekend.
Half an hour ticked by at McDonald Jones Stadium before Golden Boot contender Nicolas Milanovic fired the best chance of the first half toward the near post of Jets keeper Ryan Scott.
The powerful effort from a tight angle was palmed around the post by Scott. Milanovic threatened again from the resulting corner but his headed effort went marginally wide as the visitors ramped up the pressure in Newcastle.
The Wanderers dominated possession with a 66% share of the ball and took eight shots to Newcastle’s three in the first half but couldn’t find the back of the net before the break; the Jets had a late chance to claim an unlikely lead in stoppage time but Aleksandar Šuśnjar’s long-distance effort rose over the crossbar as the two teams went into half-time locked level at 0-0.
Three minutes into the second half, Socceroo Brandon Borrello had a glorious chance to put the Wanderers ahead. Picked out in the box by a low Alex Gersbach cross, Borrello took one touch to control before firing on the spin – but his shot missed its mark.
The Wanderers had all the momentum but failed to break Newcastle down, until a loose pass in defence by Thomas Aquilina gifted the visitors an opportunity to break the deadlock. It was a chance gladly taken by Zac Sapsford, who strolled into the box to meet Borrello’s delivery to tuck his shot past Scott and put his side on top.
Sapsford hadn’t scored since February heading into Round 28 but broke his goal drought to take his tally to eight for the season.
Sapsford would’ve doubled his tally in the 71st minute if not for a superb save by Jets keeper Scott.
Picked out by Gersbach’s pinpoint delivery, Sapsford’s first-time effort from inside the six-yard box was denied by Scott who reacted quickly to shovel the ball away from danger with his feet.
Down the other end, Jets striker Lachie Rose almost made the Wanderers pay with a near-identical chance to the one spurned by Sapsford just minutes earlier. Rose arrived in the box to meet Eli Adams’ cutback cross but missed the target from close range.
The Jets entered four minutes of second-half stoppage time riding a late wave of momentum but failed to break down a resilient Wanderers defensive line as the visitors claimed an important three points in the battle for second in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
