Western Sydney Wanderers took another step in their pre-season preparations with a 1-0 win over Parramatta FC 1-0 at Parramatta Stadium.
Western Sydney Wanderers took another step in their pre-season preparations with a 1-0 win over Parramatta FC 1-0 at Parramatta Stadium.
Coach Tony Popovic was impressed with the victory but happy to be continuing to get vital match practice.
“It was another 90 minutes under our belts,” he said. “It was the first hit-out for a number of guys so that is also a good thing.
“We brought up a number of youth players tonight and they handled it well.
“We want the same sort of structure to be played throughout the club so it-s great experience for these guys to have in this arena.”
Popovic restdd Mark Bridge, Shannon Cole, Aaron Mooy and Nikolai Topor-Stanley from the fixture which he said is all part of his pre-season plan.
“It-s about getting guys right for October 6. There are no concerns with them, it-s purely a strategic thing,” he added.
In a first half where the Wanderers maintained the best field position, it was one where they were unable to break the defence of the Parramatta side.
It was after 10 minutes where Croatian Dino Kresinger had the first real opportunity. The ball was put in at the top of the penalty box with Kresinger controlling the ball nicely bringing it down on his chest and after a single touch to his left he struck the ball with a fair amount of force but it was sent just wide of the left upright.
In the 18th minute Mateo Poljak had his first opportunity in Wanderers colours when he carried the ball forward and with no defenders closing him down, he chose to have a strike, which like Kresinger’s attempt, sailed wide of the left upright.
Trialist Youssef Hersi had the best chance of the first stanza after Kresinger put on a nice touch which ended with Hersi in open space on the right but the midfielder from the Netherlands pushed it across the face of goal with Parramatta keeper Matthew Nash outstretched.
A number of changes were made at half-time with Michael Beauchamp, Kwabena Appiah-Hubi and Poljak all coming off with Jason Trifiro, Labinot Haliti, Jake McGing and Nicholas Olsen coming on for their first minutes.
The opening goal of the match came through Kresinger, who opened his goal scoring account in the 60th minute. It was off the back of some poor defence from Parramatta where they were unable to clear the ball and Kresinger got his boot to the loose ball and chipped it over the top of Nash to put the Wanderers in front.
