Melbourne City last week. Western United on Saturday. Western Sydney Wanderers have upstaged two Liberty A-League title contenders in back-to-back games.
For the first time since 2021, the Wanderers celebrated consecutive victories after ruining Western United’s perfect start to the season – the league’s newcomers finally beaten 2-1 following seven wins from seven games.
Western Sydney were good value for their triumph at Wanderers Football Park, where Philippines international Sarina Bolden and Amy Harrison’s goal from an indirect free-kick continued the club’s resurgence.
The Wanderers are eighth in the standings and six points outside of the top four – defending champions Melbourne Victory occupy the fourth and remaining finals spot ahead of Sunday’s Melbourne Derby.
But Liberty A-League commentator Teo Pellizzeri made a big call regarding the Wanderers post-match on Dub Zone.
“Western Sydney Wanderers, this team that has come from the clouds to knock off title contenders in consecutive games,” Pellizzeri said.
“All of a sudden there is a big, big sound from the West of this town but it’s the Western Sydney Wanderers that are making their move in the A-League Women.
And you know what? After beating two top teams in consecutive games, I’m going to call it now, they are absolutely in the top-four conversation to make a run in the back half of the season.
He added: “We saw the crowd today and against City. They fill Wanderers Football Park. They want a winning team to get around, a team that excites them.
“You look at the reaction at full-time and the reaction of the players, and that will be reflected in the stands as well. Those stands will only get more and more full as word gets out that the Wanderers have a winning team again.”
A marquee the key for Wanderers?
Western Sydney are almost at the halfway stage of the 18-game Liberty A-League regular season.
With two wins from five games and a big fight on their hands to reach the top four, Pellizzeri has some advice for the Wanderers.
“If the Wanderers want to put themselves over the top and make the top four? A guest marquee,” he suggested.
“If there is a team that can do it, I think the Wanderers also need to start putting the feelers out who they can target on a guest marquee contract in the back half of the season.”
During his analysis of Western Sydney’s upset of Western United, Pellizzeri highlighted the benefits of a longer season while referencing 1999 Hollywood fantasy comedy film – ‘Being John Malkovich’, featuring actor John Malkovich.
To provide a quick rundown, the movie centres on a puppeteer discovering a portal that leads literally into the head of Malkovich.
“I’m starting to think the Wanderers have ‘Being John Malkoviched’ Adelaide here and just taken everything that was great about Adelaide and taken it for themselves. They’re now living that life from the bottom half of the table,” Pellizzeri said.
“And here is Adelaide, who won four of their first five games, and they’re just sinking like a stone.
“But that’s what we love about this league. We’re still in the mindset of treating this competition like a super series, where every three points is obviously very important even in an 18-game season. But back when it was 10 or 12, or 14 last season, it was so much more cut throat. Now you have more time to evolve over the course of a season.”
