A-League
Wanderers Crush Phoenix with Dominant 4-1
Western Sydney Wanderers climbed to sixth on the Isuzu UTE A-League table with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Wellington Phoenix on Sunday evening at CommBank Stadium. A dynamic opening and decisive contributions from Zac Sapsford, Bozhidar Kraev, Marcus Antonsson, and Dylan Scicluna highlighted a commanding performance for the home side.
Sapsford Sets the Tone Early
The Wanderers wasted no time asserting their dominance, as Zac Sapsford netted just 47 seconds into the match. A defensive error by Wellington’s Isaac Hughes allowed Brandon Borrello to seize the opportunity, setting up Sapsford for a clean, first-time finish. The early strike marked Sapsford’s third goal of the season in only his seventh appearance.
Western Sydney’s relentless energy overwhelmed Wellington in the opening stages, and their pressure paid off again in the 11th minute. Bozhidar Kraev doubled the lead with a close-range effort, assisted by Borrello following a brilliant turnover from Nicolas Milanovic. Despite Phoenix’s attempts to regain composure, Western Sydney’s attacking unit continued to flourish.
Phoenix’s Hope Shattered by Wanderers’ Clinical Edge
Wellington’s defense struggled, but they found a glimmer of hope in the second half through Hideki Ishige’s spectacular bicycle kick in the 59th minute. Tim Payne’s precise cross created the chance, and Ishige’s acrobatic effort brought the visitors back into contention.
However, Western Sydney extinguished Phoenix’s momentum swiftly. Alen Stajcic’s decision to introduce Marcus Antonsson in the 64th minute paid dividends, as the Swedish forward restored the Wanderers’ two-goal advantage just two minutes later with a well-placed finish.
Scicluna Seals the Deal
With the match entering stoppage time, young midfielder Dylan Scicluna delivered the final blow. A stunning long-range strike from outside the box ricocheted off the crossbar and into the net, marking his first Isuzu UTE A-League goal and putting an exclamation point on Western Sydney’s impressive performance.
The victory extended the Wanderers’ unbeaten streak to three games, propelling them into the finals series positions. Meanwhile, Wellington Phoenix suffered their third consecutive defeat under Giancarlo Italiano, struggling to find consistency.
Match Statistics
| Statistic | Wanderers | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 4 | 1 |
| Shots (On Target) | 22 (8) | 13 (4) |
| Possession (%) | 54 | 46 |
| Total Passes | 579 | 487 |
| Accurate Passes | 521 | 425 |
| Fouls | 19 | 7 |
| Corners | 0 | 4 |
