Western Sydney Wanderers added to their best run of form in a decade after defeating high-flying Western United 2-0 in their blockbuster Isuzu UTE A-League showdown.
Socceroo Alex Gersbach scored his first ever A-Leagues goal in first-half stoppage time to set the tone on Sunday before he had a hand in the second – his corner turned into the net by Western United goalkeeper Matt Sutton.
The red-hot and fourth-placed Wanderers are now nine games unbeaten – their best streak since 2015, as they dealt a huge blow to Western United’s Premiership hopes.
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Western United, who had won five successive matches, are now third and six points behind Auckland FC with three matches remaining but all eyes remain on the coveted second position – currently occupied by Melbourne City.
The Isuzu UTE A-League’s sole AFC Champions League Elite slot goes to the premiers, with Auckland top but as they are from New Zealand and the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), they are ineligible to qualify.
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That means, if Auckland finish top at the end of the regular season, the competition’s top team from Australia and within the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) will be awarded Champions League qualification. That would mean finishing second would be enough to secure AFC Champions League football.
As it stands, City are in pole position on 43 points, two clear of Western United and four ahead of Western Sydney.
Sutton was kept busy from the outset in Parramatta, where the Wanderers had not kept a clean sheet all season.
Sutton made a big save to keep the Wanderers at bay in the 19th minute following a swift move in transition that led to Brandon Borrello somehow being denied from close range after a penetrating run from Zac Sapsford.
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Bozhidar Kraev and Nicolas Milanovic were next to be frustrated by Sutton inside the first 30 minutes.
Hiroshi Ibusuki had a good chance for the visitors in the 34 minute after rising highest from a corner but his header sailed just over the crossbar.
Then, with the half-time break looming, Gersbach broke the deadlock. After a terrific first touch that took Angus Thurgate immediately out of the picture, the Socceroo dinked the ball over Sutton for his first ever A-Leagues goal.
The Wanderers survived a huge scare in the 64th after a goal-mouth scramble saw Ibusuki denied twice, including off the line by Alex Bonetig.
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Moments later, Western United star Noah Botic went on a solo run with limited options and as he bided his team, the Golden Boot hopeful picked out Ibusuki inside the box and the Japanese striker’s stunning volley was kept out by the diving Lawrence Thomas.
Just as the Green and Black were knocking on the door, a forgettable moment for Sutton gifted Western Sydney a 2-0 lead in the 66th minute. The Western United goalkeeper turned a corner into his own net.
