Western Sydney Wanderers and Adelaide United set up an Australia Cup quarter-final showdown in contrasting fashion on Tuesday night. This is what we learned from the two fixtures.
Lions FC 0-4 Western Sydney Wanderers
The Alen Stajcic era at Western Sydney Wanderers is gathering momentum following a 4-0 rout of NPLM QLD side Lions FC on Tuesday night.
After a 2-1 win over fellow NPLM QLD outfit Brisbane City in the Round of 32 and a 4-2 friendly success against Isuzu UTE A-League expansion club Auckland FC, the Wanderers eased past Lions FC in Queensland.
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Western Sydney hit the front through Nicolas Milanovic’s powerful strike before turning the screw in the second half with three unanswered goals in the second half via Zac Sapsford, Marcus Antonsson and Marcus Younis.
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Stajcic is at the helm of the Wanderers following the departure of Marko Rudan and the former CommBank Matildas, Central Coast Mariners and Perth Glory boss has not been afraid to blood some young players ahead of the 2024-25 A-Leagues campaign.
On Tuesday night, 21-year-old goalkeeper Tristan Vidackovic made his starting debut in the absence of Socceroos shot-stopper Lawrence Thomas.
Vidackovic – a regular in the NPLM NSW this season – previously played for Portuguese sides Vasco da Gama, Sociedade Uniao 1º Dezembro, and Casa Pia.
There was also a starting debut for academy prospect Jesse Cameron. The 18-year-old “dynamic” full-back completed the full 90 minutes in a line-up also boasting Brandon Borrello, Josh Brillante, Milanovic and South Korean recruit Jeong Tae-wook.
Cameron impressed at NPL level in 2024 and teenager provided a hilariously blunt description of himself in an interview with the Wanderers earlier this year.
“I’ll go and smash someone (and) cop a yellow card if it means that the team is going to win,” he said.
Up front, Sapsford led the line having made just three Isuzu UTE A-League starts last season, though he scored twice across 12 appearances and he scored with a delightful lob over the goalkeeper against Lions FC.
Last season, the 22-year-old forward announced himself with the match-winning goal in the derby against Sydney FC.
But in total, Sapsford featured in just 446 minutes of A-Leagues football after debuting in 2022-23. This could be the season that he cements himself in Western Sydney’s line-up.
The same goes for young gun Younis, who scored his second senior goal for the Wanderers. It was a well-taken goal from a highly rated attacker that has been attracting interest from Europe.
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Younis has not only been linked with Dutch giants PSV but Scottish Premiership outfit Aberdeen.
Olympic Kingsway 2-3 Adelaide United
Is this the season of Luka Jovanovic? If his recent form is anything to go by, Adelaide United fans should be excited.
Jovanovic scored the goal that proved to be the game winner as Adelaide held on to beat NPLM WA outfit Olympic Kingsway 3-2 on the road on Tuesday night.
In the final three rounds of the NPLM SA regular season, the 19-year-old scored eight goals and provided an assist. That return of eight goals also included two hat-tricks.
Handed the number nine shirt for the 2024-25 Isuzu UTE A-League campaign, Jovanovic has taken that form into the first team this off-season.
The Australian youth international, who has scored seven A-Leagues goals since debuting in 2022-23, scored against Blacktown as well as in a friendly versus Adelaide Raiders before helping take down Olympic Kingsway.
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It was another hard-fought win for Carl Veart’s Reds, who needed extra-time to prevail 3-2 against NPLM NSW side Blacktown City in the Round of 32.
Following a “standout pre-season” which also featured a contract extension for “remarkable talent” Austin Ayoubi, the South Australian midfielder scored his first goal for the club in the 11th minute.
The 23-year-old made his A-Leagues debut against Sydney FC in January and is shaping up as an important part of Veart’s plans.
Olympic Kingsway did equalise seven minutes prior to half-time before a Calum O’Connell own goal restored Adelaide’s lead four minutes into the second half.
Jovanovic’s header made it 3-1 19 minutes from the end, though history-making Liam Boland’s second goal in the 84th minute set up a tense finale.
