A-League
Melbourne City Falls Short in Frustrating Defeat to Wanderers
Melbourne City’s return to A-League action after a three-week break ended in disappointment, as Western Sydney Wanderers capitalized on missed opportunities to claim a 2-0 victory on Saturday night. Despite dominating possession, City’s lack of sharpness in front of goal proved costly.
Team News: Behich Returns as Captain
Head Coach Aurelio Vidmar largely kept faith in his previous lineup, making only one change. Captain Aziz Behich returned to the starting XI after serving a two-match suspension, relegating Harry Politidis to the bench.
Starting XI: Patrick Beach (GK), Callum Talbot, Kai Trewin, Samuel Souprayen, Aziz Behich (C), Zane Schreiber, Steven Ugarkovic, Andreas Kuen, Yonatan Cohen, Nathaniel Atkinson, Medin Memeti.
Substitutes: Jamie Young (GK), Jimmy Jeggo, Arion Sulemani, Germán Ferreyra, Harry Politidis, Ben Dunbar, Kavian Rahmani.
Missed Chances and Defensive Lapses
City began brightly, nearly opening the scoring in the third minute with back-to-back opportunities. Medin Memeti’s angled shot was parried by Wanderers goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas, with Andreas Kuen’s follow-up blocked by Anthony Pantazopoulos and deflected away by Thomas once again. Yonatan Cohen came close moments later, curling a shot just wide.
The game settled into a midfield battle for much of the first half before a controversial penalty shifted momentum. In the 45th minute, Callum Talbot’s challenge on Nicolas Milanovic led to a penalty, converted by Milanovic to give the Wanderers a 1-0 halftime lead.
City dominated possession in the second half but struggled to break down a resolute Wanderers defense. The absences of Mathew Leckie, Andrew Nabbout, and Marco Tilio were keenly felt as the team lacked creativity in the final third. Memeti had two promising chances but failed to find the target, while Andreas Kuen’s dangerous deliveries went unconverted.
A defensive lapse in the 81st minute sealed City’s fate, as Marcus Antonsson pounced to double the Wanderers’ lead on their only meaningful second-half attack. Despite late pressure and sustained possession, Melbourne City could not claw their way back into the contest.
Looking Ahead: Brisbane Roar Next
Melbourne City will aim to bounce back on Friday night as they travel to Suncorp Stadium to face Brisbane Roar. With key players still sidelined, Vidmar will be hoping for a sharper attacking display to reignite their season.
