Western Sydney Wanderers and Adelaide United have produced yet another Isuzu UTE A-League thriller as the Reds travelled to CommBank Stadium and notched a 4-3 on Saturday night.
Adelaide led by two goals on three separate occasions on the night but the hosts refused to give in, halving the deficit each time the Reds pulled two goals clear; four goals scored in the first 27 minutes of play set the tone for what was a chaotic night at CommBank Stadium as former Wanderer Dylan Pierias became the hero for Adelaide with the away side’s final two goals of the game on return to face his old club.
In early 2023, these two sides met in Adelaide and drew 4-4 at Coopers Stadium; Adelaide took the lead on four occasions on that occasion but were forced to settle for a draw by the Wanderers, and Saturday night’s thriller had all the hallmarks of that eight-goal draw. However, this time around the Reds managed to hold firm late and ensure a fourth Western Sydney goal wasn’t to come.
The result sent Adelaide up to fourth on the table and left the winless Wanderers languishing in 11th place after three rounds.
The Wanderers have now gone winless for nine-straight home games – a run that stretches all the way back to New Year’s Day and a 3-1 win over Macarthur FC.
They have since lost eight of nine games (one draw) and are currently on a six-game losing streak at home – the equal longest in the club’s history.
Adelaide exploded out of the blocks on the road with teenage striker Luka Jovanovic bagging his second goal in as many games to begin the season. Austin Ayoubi doubled Adelaide’s lead in the 21st minute after a goalkeeping error from young Wanderer Tristan Vidackovic – but the action had only just begun in Wanderland.
Six minutes later it was 3-1 to the Reds; Nicolas Milanovic scored for Western Sydney to make it 2-1 but Pierias – on return to face his former side – restored Adelaide’s advantage to two goals with a stunner from range.
Zach Clough’s free-kick was deflected into Pierias’ path outside the box and the winger’s strike bent away from Vidackovic all the way into the back of the net.
The stunning start to action at CommBank Stadium led Network 10 commentator Simon Hill to exclaim: “It’s raining goals in Paramatta in this first half!”
Adelaide took a 3-1 lead to half-time but Bozhidar Kraev pulled one back for the hosts in the 53rd minute, tapping home a superb ball from substitute Zac Sapsford who made an impact for the Wanderers off the bench.
But 10 minutes later, Pierias had his brace. Adelaide star Zach Clough was afforded too much space in the final third to gain composure on the ball and slot a through ball behind the Wanderers’ defence for the former Wanderers winger to tuck home and make it 4-2 to Adelaide.
The 24-year-old scored just three goals in his sole season at the Wanderers and is just one off that figure two games into life as a Red.
Adelaide were in cruise control at 4-2 but there was to be one more twist in the tale when Brandon Borrello headed home Western Sydney’s third of the evening after a chaotic passage of play in which the Wanderers struck the underside of the crossbar.
Borrello scored with 15 minutes of regular time on the clock but the Wanderers couldn’t find the elusive equaliser as Adelaide left CommBank Stadium with three points in the bag.
