CommBank Stadium witnessed the great escape on Saturday night after Western Sydney Wanderers overturned a two-goal deficit to stun Isuzu UTE A-League rivals Melbourne Victory 4-2.
Two goals in seven minutes had Victory 2-0 ahead with half-time approaching but the Wanderers rallied with three unanswered goals to emerge from the jaws of defeat on a wild and dramatic night in Western Sydney.
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After Socceroo Nishan Velupillay and Reno Piscopo put the visitors in control, Bulgarian star Bozhidar Kraev gave Western Sydney some hope at the break before another Socceroo – Brandon Borrello – equalised for the Wanderers 14 minutes from the end after Victory saw two shots cleared off the line.
Then, with time running out, Nicolas Milanovic came off the bench to put the hosts ahead with three minutes of regulation remaining – his ninth of the season to close within one of the Golden Boot lead before fellow substitute Marcus Antonsson made sure of the result in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
It was a big result in the finals race as the Wanderers celebrated four straight wins for the first time in nine years as they jumped up to third in the standings, while Victory dropped to fifth.
All eyes were on a host of stars called up by the Socceroos – Victory trio Velupillay, Arzani and Ryan Teague and they did not disappoint in the visitors’ trip to Western Sydney.
Victory made a fast start on the road and almost hit the front inside eight minutes – Bruno Fornaroli was picked out inside the box and the veteran composed himself, faked a shot that committed two Wanderers defenders before forcing a fine save from Lawrence Thomas.
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Arzani was a threat throughout the opening half and his pace and footwork continued to wreak havoc for the Wanderers as the Australia international drove into the penalty area and called Thomas into action 15 minutes later.
Western Sydney sent a warning to Victory moments later with their transitional football on full display. Anthony Pantazopoulos’ long ball released Aydan Hammond, who squared the ball to Oscar Priestman. The midfielder cannoned his shot off the crossbar but it would not have counted anyway as the linesman raised his flag.
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After Kasey Bos was left blooded in a nasty head clash with Zac Sapsford, Victory broke the deadlock in the 34th minute.
Reno Piscopo was fouled outside of the box but the referee allowed advantage as Velupillay capitalised to curl the ball beyond Thomas.
It triggered a thrilling end to the first half at CommBank Stadium.
First, the onrushing Mitch Langerak came out to smother Sapsford’s goal-bound effort in the 38th minute. Then, Piscopo doubled Victory’s lead at the other end with four minutes of regulation time remaining in the first half.
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It was an Arzani masterclass after the Victory attacker pushed the ball around Jack Clisby and then whipped the ball across the six-yard box for Piscopo to boke home.
Just as Victory had doubled their advantage, Western Sydney pulled a goal back on the stroke of half-time – Kraev swept the ball home on the volley, having been re-called by Bulgaria for the first time since 2021.
Victory twice came close to restoring their two-goal buffer inside nine minutes of the second half restarting.
Pantazopoulos cleared Velupillay’s shot off the line before Arzani’s rebound hit the post – a passage inspired by the latter’s exceptional movement.
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Shortly afterwards, Victory defender Brendan Hamill also saw a goal-bound attempt cleared off the line by Alex Bonetig.
At the other end, Nicolas Milanovic – introduced at half-time – flashed a shot just wide of the post.
Victory were left frustrated again in the 66th minute after Thomas got down line to make a brilliant finger-tip save, denying substitute Zinedine Machach.
The home side took advantage of the situation 14 minutes from the end as Borrello got on the end of a pin-point Alex Gersbach cross to head past Langerak.
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Western Sydney finished on top against a shell-shocked Victory, who saw Milanovic and Antonsson find the back of the net at the death.
