Round 2 of the Isuzu UTE A-League season continued to throw up the surprises as Western United conceded five first-half goals in defeat to Western United on Saturday night.
The Wanderers carved out the largest half-time advantage recorded in the competition’s history at CommBank Stadium, with Western United managing to stem the flow in the second half in a 5-0 win to the red and black highlighted by superb performances by Lachlan Brook and Nicolas Milanovic.
Elsewhere in the Isuzu UTE A-League, a dramatic conclusion to the first Distance Derby of the season saw Wellington Phoenix keeper Alex Paulsen single-handedly secure three points with a last-gasp penalty save to deny Perth Glory striker Adam Taggart an equaliser in a 2-1 win to the ‘Nix in Wellington.
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MATCHDAY AGENDA
Western Sydney Wanderers 5-0 Western United – CommBank Stadium
MATCH REPORT: Historic first half launches Wanderers to mighty win over Western United
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Five first-half goals to Western Sydney Wanderers sent Marko Rudan’s side on the path to a comprehensive win over Western United at CommBank Stadium on Saturday night.
No club has scored more than five first-half goals in a single game throughout the Isuzu UTE A-League’s history – and the Wanderers equalled the all-time record in Wanderland, with both Nicolas Milanovic and Lachlan Brook bagging two apiece in a scintillating opening 45 minutes.
Marcelo added the fifth in a first-half rout, in which the visitors were all at sea and off the pace from beginning to end. United managed to stem the bleeding in the second half as the score remained at 5-0 in Western Sydney’s favour until full-time.
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Wellington Phoenix 2-1 Perth Glory – Sky Stadium
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MATCH REPORT: Wellington’s goalkeeping sensation makes himself a hero again with dramatic penalty save
Alex Paulsen saved a dramatic 88th-minute penalty as Wellington Phoenix claimed their first win of the Isuzu UTE A-League season with a 2-1 win at home to Perth Glory in the ‘Distance Derby’.
Oskar Zawada’s sensational long-range strike broke the deadlock in the ninth minute before Glory captain Mark Beevers equalised in the 59th minute at Sky Stadium, where Bozhidar Kraev restored Wellington’s lead with 16 minutes remaining.
There was late drama, however, when young Wellington defender Lukas Kelly-Heald was penalised for handball as the ball appeared to be heading out of play – the referee overturned his original decision after a VAR review.
But 21-year-old Phoenix goalkeeper Paulsen made himself a hero again after his round-one exploits last week, getting down low to deny Socceroos forward Adam Taggart with two minutes of regulation remaining.
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