Emotions were high on an evening Western Sydney Wanderers fans had been dreaming about for three years. Here’s the best of your reactions on social media to the ‘Wanderland’ homecoming.
Bankwest Stadium was lit up by red lights and beaming Wanderers fans, arriving back to their spiritual home in Parramatta for an enchanting night of football.
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It's good to be home…#WSW #WSWvLUFC pic.twitter.com/5n9ZyTrTWQ
— WS Wanderers FC (@wswanderersfc) July 20, 2019
The players got first glimpse of the inside of the stadium, and Kwame Yeboah certainly looked ready.
Are you ready for this? #WSW #WSWvLUFC pic.twitter.com/lf5EBHFmzU
— WS Wanderers FC (@wswanderersfc) July 20, 2019
It turns out he was. The 25-year-old striker hit the Wanderers’ first goal in their new home to level the scores at 1-1 on 48 minutes and the arena exploded in celebration.
This is Wanderland. #WSW #WSWvLUFC pic.twitter.com/RPUojyPNQP
— WS Wanderers FC (@wswanderersfc) July 20, 2019
The reactions of fans first arriving to Bankwest was something to behold. This is their new home.
Ok so @BankwestStadium is bloody amazinggggg… WOW what a stadium! Loveeee it!!! Lets go Wanderers!! #wsw pic.twitter.com/97zAssZTC9
— 𝗛𝗼𝗱𝘇 (@Koodzie) July 20, 2019
It’s so pretty 😍 #WSWvLUFC #WSW pic.twitter.com/D1oSk7K5FX
— Kilo Romeo Alpha Mike 🐺 (@MathewMark93) July 20, 2019
https://twitter.com/nermindotgif/status/1152487167488172033
Welcome home @wswanderersfc – this ground is going to be an incredible experience for @ALeague fans. World class. #WSWvLUFC pic.twitter.com/8WjnCEGfzH
— Luke Doherty (@Luke_Doherty) July 20, 2019
Home sweet home! Awesome to have @wswanderersfc fans in the house tonight for #WSWvLUFC 🙌🏻 pic.twitter.com/2LsULOK22h
— CommBank Stadium (@commbankstadium) July 20, 2019
And welcome to the @RBB_net for their first time at #BankwestStadium! #WSWvLUFC #WSW pic.twitter.com/Csuli0spJb
— CommBank Stadium (@commbankstadium) July 20, 2019
Wanderers’ famous Red and Black Bloc quickly made themselves comfortable in their new surroundings, but they weren’t the only ones bringing the noise to this pre-season encounter.
The @LUFC fans are in full voice ahead of #WSWvLUFC. pic.twitter.com/ll8bVlQa3e
— Isuzu UTE A-League (@aleaguemen) July 20, 2019
Once all 24,419 spectactors were ready to go, the show really started to ramp up.
🔥 @BankwestStadium was rocking pre-game. #WSWvLUFC pic.twitter.com/DVgPMEXvst
— Isuzu UTE A-League (@aleaguemen) July 20, 2019
NOISE! @wswanderersfc fans & @LUFC fans going at it pre-kick-off! #WSWvLUFC pic.twitter.com/yO5MMWwj1g
— CommBank Stadium (@commbankstadium) July 20, 2019
In the English Championship, Leeds are no strangers to duelling chants and raucous atmosphere. But even Whites fans were impressed at what the Wanderers were bringing to the party.
Westeen Sydney Wanderers can make some noise can't they 😍
Think I might have found my favourite aussie club #lufc #wsw
— Josh Denby (@JoshDenby2) July 20, 2019
It was not only a day for a wild party. This festival of football was for all of the family.
https://twitter.com/traglering/status/1152553401583988738
Now 18 years old, Daniel Wilmering was handed his first Western Sydney start by head coach Markus Babbel and the left-back certainly impressed a recently retired Wanderers defender .
Wilmering touch and pass with outside of his left 🔥 for 18yrs old @wswanderersfc
— Rob Cornthwaite (@robcornthwaite) July 20, 2019
Western Sydney went behind after nine minutes to a superb goal from 17-year-old attacker Mateusz Bogusz, but not even that was going to damped the spirits of this occasion.
https://twitter.com/Kupej/status/1152509239136415744
Can hear the RBB from across the river. Football sounds like it’s home #WSWvLUFC
— The Ladies League (@LadiesALeague) July 20, 2019
A sight worth mentioning in the visitor’s dugout. Legendary coach Marcelo Bielsa brought his trademark bucket to Wanderland.
Bielsa on his bucket… #WSWvLUFC pic.twitter.com/VgtadL8Wk8
— Carly Adno (@CarlyAdno226) July 20, 2019
And, despite Bielsa’s side’s dominance, Leeds could not find a way through a spirited Wanderers team until their Spanish talisman Pablo Hernandez produced a moment of magic in the 95th minute.
Leeds: Miss heaps of good chances and the game is still 1-1 in the 94th minute
Pablo Hernandez: pic.twitter.com/iiAy7jqN6I
— Josh Denby (@JoshDenby2) July 20, 2019
Wanderers put up a hell of a fight against top-quality opposition and, despite the crushing late blow, the majority left Bankwest Stadium illuminated with what they had seen from their teams.
The #WSW kids are alright! Took a wonder goal from Pablo Hernandez to see them off, very impressive showing against opposition who probably are the level above ours.
— Nathan | LFC | Jackjumpers (@grubbavitch) July 20, 2019
Not gonna lie, I shed a tear returning to Wanderland #WSW
— RazaSuperSonic 🇦🇺🇨🇱 (@RazaSuperSonic) July 20, 2019
Cracker of a game @mitchduke8 good luck this season!! @wswanderersfc @BankwestStadium #WSW #wswvleeds pic.twitter.com/DWCRxddhms
— blah blah (@NickKallipolits) July 20, 2019
Thank you fans, @wswanderersfc team and staff @rbb_net and @lufc for making tonight’s return to Wanderland so special. Well done everyone. Had a truely wanderful time. #WSW
— Tony (@ElfdeWanderer) July 20, 2019
Same against next year?
https://twitter.com/tbosko1982/status/1152614563256270853
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