The Western Sydney Wanderers have shot up to third on the table after a remarkable 4-2 comeback win over Melbourne Victory at CommBank Stadium.
Two goals in seven first half minutes saw the Victory take a 2-0 lead, but Bozhidar Kraev halved the deficit, before the Wanderers pulled off a remarkable turnaround in the final 15 minutes of the match.
The Wanderers came into the game off the back of three wins in a row, and had results go their way earlier in the week, meaning they knew they could jump to third with a win over fourth placed Melbourne.
Despite Nicolas Milanovic returning from suspension, Alen Stajcic entrusted Aydan Hammond to start on the right-hand side of attack once again after his brace against Perth last time out, with Milanovic being part of a strong bench including Juan Mata, Marcus Antonsson and Alex Gersbach.
On a hot night in Parramatta, the atmosphere matched the conditions, with the Red and Black Bloc unveiling a fantastic tifo before the match, but it was the Victory who had the better start to the match. Bruno Fornaroli was denied in the eighth minute by a wonderful Lawrence Thomas save, with the Wanderers’ captain fired up against his old club.
The Wanderers almost took the lead in the 24th minute, but Oscar Priestman’s shot smashed into the crossbar. 10 minutes later Melbourne scored when Nishan Vellupilay drove into the box, cut inside and finished well into the corner; they had their second in the 41st minute as Rene Piscopo scored from close range.
Western Sydney hit back just before the breakthrough Bozhidar Kraev, who celebrated his call-up to the Bulgaria side with a smart side footed volley from a Jack Clisby corner.
Milanovic entered the fray at half-time, but it was defenders Anthony Pantazopoulos and Alex Bonetig who were the main men for the Wanderers at the start of the second half, as they made three crucial goal line clearances between them to deny the Victory.
They would prove to be crucial, as Western Sydney began to push forward for an equaliser, with Milanovic putting a shot on his weak foot just wide of the upright after a great run.
Gersbach and Antonsson were introduced to the game at the hour mark, and their energy and physicality began to cause problems for the visitors’ defence.
Pantazopoulos almost headed home from a Gersbach corner, before Borrello was just offline with a strong shot after a great bit of control with his chest, but the striker would not be denied minutes later.
Gersbach found space down the left wing and swung in an inviting delivery, with Borrello getting free of his markers and burying a header beyond Mitch Langerak, who had to this point kept the Victory in front.
The Wanderers were now in full control, as Langerak almost made a mess of a Josh Brillante effort from distance, before Kraev and Antonsson were unable to beat Langerak.
Alen Stajcic smelled blood in the water and sent on Mata for the last five minutes of normal time, and he helped set up the third goal. His dinked ball found Antonsson in the box, with the Swede using his strength to hold up the ball and tee up Milanovic; he took a touch beyond a defender and rifled a low drive from the edge of the area beyond Langerak, sparking scenes of pandemonium in Parramatta.
The Wanderers found their clincher as the Victory threw men forward on the counterattack, with Milanovic breaking in behind and threading a pass to Antonsson, who was able to expertly chip the ball over Langerak to seal a fourth win in a row and passage to the Top Four to end the weekend.
