Wanderers beat plucky APIA in pre-season clash

Western Sydney Wanderers ramped up its preparations for the impending A-League season with a 2-1 win over NSW NPL side APIA Leichhardt Tigers.

Romeo Castelen

Source: Getty Images Asia Pacific

A healthy crowd made its way to Leichhardt Oval and of Wanderers' likely first choice starting side, Mitch Nichols, Andreu, Mark Bridge and latest signing Dario Vidosic were in the stands.

However, it was still its first choice defence, with Alberto partnering Nikolai Topor- Stanley, while Dimas was alongside Jacob Pepper in midfield. 

Andrew Redmayne and Dean Bouzanis played a half each in goal, as Tony Popovic's side claimed a 2-1 win.

International marquee striker Federico Piovaccari scored the first for Wanderers, leaping high above APIA defender Brendan Hooper to head home Romeo Castelen's cross.

Brad Bartels's foul on Dimas saw Wanderers win a penalty shortly after, which was cooly converted by Castelen.

The usual glut of second half substitutions ruined the rhythm of the game in the second half, and when APIA grabbed a goal back through Nathan Millgate, it attacked with renewed enthusiasm, without really threatening Bouzanis's goal.

APIA started brightly, and shorn of experienced first teamers Franco Parisi, Michael West and Stephen Kayes, it was a side filled with young hopefuls.

Dominic Cox in midfield, particularly impressed.

Bartels had an opportunity early on, but Scott Jamieson flung himself across in cover to block the shot.

Piovaccari found the back of the net with a neat finish but it was correctly ruled out for offside. However there was no denying him when Castelen whipped a cross in from the right and Piovaccari darted in front of Hooper to head in the opening goal.

Castelen sent APIA keeper Tonu Liiband the wrong way with his penalty to double Wanderers' lead, although Corey Biczo should have halved the deficit for the home side, only to roll his finish wide of Redmayne's far post.

Nick Olsen also flashed a shot narrowly over from considerable distance. 

Neville forced a sharp save from Liiband in the second half, before a gamut of trialists replaced Wanderers' established first teamers as the half wore on.

APIA won itself an indirect free kick when Bouzanis picked up a back pass, but it was too elaborate in its set up, and Biczo's shot rolled wide with nearly the entire Wanderers side, plus Bouzanis, on the goal line.

Millgate's goal did give APIA a sniff late on, but it still needed young substitute keeper Chris Moore to make a sharp stop from Wanderers' Josh Macdonald late in the game.  

APIA Leichhardt Tigers: Liiband (Moore); Bartels (C) (Adattini), Hooper, Millgate, Vlastelica (Cook); Symons, Cox; Olsen, Stuart (McCarron), Biczo; Murray

Western Sydney Wanderers: Redmayne (Bouzanis); Neville (Roberts), Alberto (Alessi), Topor-Stanley (C) (Gollan) (Maia)), Jamieson (Danaskos); Dimas (Baccus), Pepper (Youlley); Castelen (Fofanah), Shabow, Sotirio (Macdonald); Piovaccari (Santalab) 


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3 min read
Published 23 September 2015 11:13am
By Matthew Connellan
Source: SBS

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