The Mark Rudan era got off to a perfect start at Wanderland, with a 1-0 Western Sydney Wanderers win against Perth Glory in the Isuzu UTE A-League at CommBank Stadium on Wednesday night.
Meanwhile, in the Liberty A-League, Sydney FC goalkeeper Jada Whyman broke the league record for consecutive clean sheets with her eighth shutout in a row, earned against Brisbane Roar in a 2-0 win at Leichhardt Oval.
KEEPUP followed along LIVE to brins you up to date scores, highlights and biggest talking points from two A-Leagues fixtures on Wednesday night:
- Sydney FC 2-0 Brisbane Roar
Liberty A-League – Leichhardt Oval - Western Sydney Wanderers 1-0 Perth Glory
Isuzu UTE A-League: CommBank Stadium
REACTION
‘For me, I’m Jada’ – Whyman out of Williams’ shadow into class of her own
Sydney FC shot-stopper Jada Whyman is eager for the comparisons with star Matildas keeper Lydia Williams to subside after claiming the Liberty A-League successive clean sheet record as her own in a 2-0 Sky Blues win over Brisbane Roar on Wednesday night.
Williams held the record (seven) heading into this season, notched at Melbourne City during the 2019/20 campaign.
Two games later Whyman holds the record on her own.
Speaking to KEEPUP in the lead-in to her record-equalling shutout against City on January 22, Whyman said although Williams was a “big inspiration” to her as a young keeper, calling her an idol is no longer fitting considering how far she’s come in her own career.
In the aftermath of her eighth consecutive shutout Whyman reiterated the point as she comes into her own as one of the league’s finest goalkeepers.
“I’ve had this question quite a bit, she has been someone I have looked up to but I am Jada Whyman, I am my own goalkeeper and my own person,” Whyman told Paramount+ post-match.
“Yeah, it’s nice to step out of that shadow now maybe a little bit, but for me I’m Jada.”
FURTHER READING: Barbieri’s verdict on Oz ‘keeping stocks
Whyman has been aided in her efforts by a defensive line, which together with their goalkeeper made history as a collective on Wednesday night.
The Sky Blues went past Melbourne City’s magic mark recorded in their imperious 2015/16 campaign by going a record 12 hours and 12 minutes without conceding a goal. That figure climbed toward the full-time whistle and will continue to do so as the Sky Blues plough ahead this season.
When asked to explain the reason behind the incredible record, Sydney’s head coach Ante Juric had a simple answer: “We work hard,” he told Paramount+ post-match.
“That’s the key: working hard and being structured and disciplined.
“It’s the way we work; our strikers need to work, our midfield screens in front and presses high, and then our backline, we definitely work hard there. Then we’ve got Jada who was on top of her game in the first half.
“Everyone works – without that you won’t get those sort of records.”
‘He set the tone’ – A ‘captain’s knock’ from Rodwell inspires Wanderers win
It was a tale of two captains at CommBank Stadium on Wednesday night, with skippers from both sides putting on performances for their respective fans to savour.
Jack Rodwell took the armband for the Wanderers in Mark Rudan’s first game in charge and supplied a performance to match, scoring the only goal in his side’s 1-0 win over Perth Glory.
It’s just the second victory of the season for Western Sydney, and it comes in the wake of Carl Robinson’s sacking as head coach.
Sat in the Paramount+ studio watching on, former Socceroo Mark Milligan noted the Englishman’s impact in a best afield performance for the club looking to return to its former might.
“He set the tone from the very, very beginning,” Milligan said.
“Maybe playing an unfamiliar role a little bit higher up the pitch we’re probably used to seeing him, but he led from the front.”
Former Wanderer Tarek Elrich added: “It’s not just his attacking prowess that he produces, it’s what he’s doing for the team going backwards as well.
“It was a great captain’s knock and a great win, but he really brought that attacking third and pushed onto the Perth Glory defenders, and made it very hard for them to play out.”
Rodwell scored his second goal in Wanderers colours in his sixth appearance for the club as his minutes continue to increase after his off-season arrival.
The 30-year-old said post-match that the win was a crucial step for the club after a tumultuous week.
“It was a busy week for us as players but we stuck together and that’s what we showed tonight, a bit of fight, what the manager wanted from us,” Rodwell told Paramount+.
“That’s what this club is about, fight and passion and I think we managed to do that, and got the victory which is the most important thing.”
The visitors, meanwhile, were without their club captain Brandon O’Neill, who missed out after contracting COVID-19.
In his place came Andy Keogh to lead the side – but his second-half substitution prompted the armband to be handed to young Josh Rawlins for the remainder of the game.
It was a sign of the faith head coach Garcia places in his 17-year-old full-back – and for Rawlins, it was a tremendous moment of pride.
“It’s my boyhood club,” Rawlins said. “So to play (with) these boys and captain the side even for half a game or so, it was amazing, best feeling.
LIBERTY A-LEAGUE: SYDNEY FC V BRISBANE ROAR
FULL TIME
SYDNEY FC 2-0 BRISBANE ROAR (9.25PM AEDT)
IT’S A RECORD! Sky Blues go into class of their own (9.13pm AEDT)
In the 79th minute of play, Sydney FC broke the record for the longest amount of time played without conceding a goal in Liberty A-League history.
Ante Juric’s side surpassed the record as they led Brisbane 2-0, going 12 hours and 12 minutes keeping their sheet clean.
The clock continues to tick onwards as the Sky Blues chase another record of eight consecutive clean sheets.
Haffenden dismissed as Roar go down to 10 (8.52pm AEDT)
Annabel Haffenden has received her marching orders after dragging down Rojas just outside the penalty area as the Chilean burst toward goal.
Haffenden lost possession in a dangerous position outside her own penalty area as Rojas swooped in to nick the ball. Attempting to right her wrong Haffenden applied too much aggression as she tangled with Rojas to send her to ground.
GOAL! Rule makes it two as Sydney cruise (8.40pm AEDT)
A lobbed attempt from Rojas from a Sydney corner routine was swatted away from the goal line by Roar keeper Mia Bailey – but her desperate effort to prevent a second Sydney goal was all for nothing as the ball dropped directly into the path of Rule who arrived on the scene to nod the ball home from close range.
The Sky Blues scored early in the first half and in the second to double their advantage.
HALF-TIME: Sky Blues holding slender lead (8.20pm AEDT)
A fifth-minute Rojas goal has given Sydney FC a 1-0 lead at the break at Leichhardt Oval.
Yet another half has passed without the Sky Blues conceding as Whyman and her defensive line chase the Liberty A-League consecutive clean sheet record.
Watch all the highlights of the first half below.
Mounting Roar chances bring visitors back into the contest (8.05pm AEDT)
Three saves in quick succession to Jada Whyman heaped pressure on the Sky Blues defence – but the safest hands in the league proved up to the task of keeping those chances out as Sydney venture past the half-hour mark with their clean sheet intact.
GOAL! ‘A perfect start for Sydney FC – ‘Cote’ does it again!’ (7.42pm AEDT)
Maria Jose Rojas has taken no time at all to score her fourth goal of the campaign as she continues to shine in the absence of Sydney’s Matildas stars.
Since Remy Siemsen and Cortnee Vine departed for international duty the Chilean international has shouldered the offensive load, scoring all four of her goals since their departure.
This one was scored in clinical fashion, as Rojas latched onto a ball from Charlize Rule swept into the box from the right wing; Brisbane allowed the ball to bounce and Rojas struck first time to find the back of the net.
KICK-OFF: Underway at Leichhardt Oval (7.40pm AEDT)
It’s a wet February night in the Liberty A-League as the Roar and Sky Blues lock horns at Leichhardt Oval.
Katrina Gorry has looked particularly bright in the early minutes, breaking through the Sydney midfield to launch the Roar forward before getting back to win a crunching challenge on Princess Ibini outside her defensive penalty area.
PRE-GAME
Sydney FC goalkeeper Jada Whyman has the chance to make history on Wednesday night with an eighth-consecutive Liberty A-League clean sheet, should she manage to shut out Brisbane Roar at Leichhardt Oval.
Whyman drew level with Matildas keeper Lydia Williams on seven successive clean sheets after her side’s 3-0 win over Melbourne City on Saturday, January 22 but can claim the record as her own this evening.
TEAM NEWS
Key stat: Brisbane Roar FC picked up a 4-1 win in their last Liberty A-League game against Sydney FC – their most goals ever in a game against them; they had been winless in their four games against the Sky Blues prior to that victory (D1, L3).
ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE: WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS V PERTH GLORY
CommBank Stadium, kick-off 7.45pm AEDT
FULL-TIME
WESTERN SYDNEY 1-0 PERTH GLORY (9.40PM AEDT)
Rawlins gets the armband as captain Keogh goes off (9.15pm AEDT)
He’s just 17 years old, but Glory right-back Josh Rawlins has received the captain’s armband for the final 25 minutes of play at CommBank Stadium as Andy Keogh – deputising for the absent Brandon O’Neill – is substituted by Glory boss Garcia.
The Wanderers still hold the lead, but Perth aren’t out of this one yet – a 1-0 deficit is not an insurmountable one for the travelling side.
He’s everywhere at the moment’ – Troisi ‘setting the tone’ for Wanderers in first half (8.50pm AEDT)
The forward-thinking approach of Wanderers midfielder James Troisi is helping the home side look a much-improved outfit through the first half of Mark Rudan’s tenure according to former Socceroo Mark Milligan.
Troisi played a heavy hand in the opening Wanderers goal to Rodwell – and Milligan has watched the midfield pair set the tone with both their attacking output and pressure high up the field.
“He’s everywhere at the moment,” Milligan said in the paramount+ half-time show.
“You can see how comfortable he is in tight areas… he’s always nice and positive, likes to go forward, and that’s most important.
“You need a player like that who wants to turn and wants to bring the boys in front of him and around him in, that’s been a big difference over the last couple of weeks – especially on the weekend against Brisbane – his willingness to get on the ball any time makes a big difference.”
Milligan added: “They’re setting the tone defensively as well, him and Rodwell, good intensity high up the pitch putting pressure on Perth.”
The second half kicks off with the Wanderers leading 1-0 at CommBank Stadium.
HALF-TIME: Rodwell goal the difference (8.35pm AEDT)
A captain’s finish from Rodwell has seen the Wanderers head into the sheds nursing a one-goal lead in Rudan’s first game in charge of the struggling side.
Perth squandered the chance to go ahead through Sardinero early in the first 45, and from there the Wanderers made them pay through Rodwell’s 26th-minute strike.
Watch the first-half highlights below.
GOAL! Captain Rodwell gets Wanderers ahead (8.12pm AEDT)
The speed of Thomas Aquilina, the neat touch-work of Troisi and the firm finishing of Jack Rodwell helped the Wanderers take the lead in style 25 minutes into their home clash with Perth.
A one-two between Aquilina and Troisi saw the former burst down toward the byline to deliver a cut-back cross to Rodwell waiting inside the 18-yard box; he took one touch to control before driving a low strike into the bottom-left corner of goal.
Troisi, Sardinero threaten as 20 goalless minutes pass (8.05pm AEDT)
A close-range James Troisi shot which hit the side netting of Perth Glory’s defensive goal was the best Wanderers chance of the opening 20 minutes, with chances at a premium as the two sides work each other out at CommBank Stadium.
Down the other end it was Adrian Sardinero spurning a glorious chance to put the visitors ahead, putting his first-time shot from close range straight into the waiting arms of Tomás Mejías with the goal at his mercy.
KICK-OFF: The Rudan era begins (7.45pm AEDT)
The first whistle blows to kick off Mark Rudan’s coaching tenure at Wanderland, as a Glory outfit led by stand-in captain Andy Keogh will look to spoil the welcome party.
PRE-GAME
It’s been a tumultuous week for the Wanderers – but with newly appointed head coach Mark Rudan at the helm a Wednesday night clash with Perth Glory offers the Wanderers the chance to hit the restart button at CommBank Stadium.
TEAM NEWS
Key stat: The Perth Glory have won four of their last five Isuzu UTE A-League games against Western Sydney Wanderers, including a 5-1 win when they last met in May 2021 – the biggest win by either team in the history of this fixture.
