Western United put on an eye-catching display in a 1-1 result with Western Sydney Wanderers in a friendly at Geelong’s GMHBA Stadium Saturday.
In the new Hyundai A-League club’s final hitout before their historic first-ever game in the league next weekend in Wellington, United sent a warning to the rest of the league that they should not be taken lightly with a slick display on a perfect surface in Geelong.
STORY OF THE GAME
2’ GOAL! Beautiful lead-up play and United forward Scott McDonald is released into the box and he drills it under Lopar for a fast first goal at GMHBA. 1-0.
8’ Another flowing move from the Green and Black and McDonald again with the shot but it’s over the bar.
23’ Slick interplay again for United this time Stamatelopoulos blasts away, but WSW keeper has it covered.
35’ Stamatelopoulos to Diamanti and the Italian international’s curling shot is tipped over onto the bar and out. The crowd loved that.
HALF-TIME: Western United 1-0 Western Sydney Wanderers
53’ Wanderers in on goal, they hit the post and the ball is scrambled away.
55’ Diamanti on his left peg at a set-piece, curling just over the bar.
78′ The game getting stretched now with chances at both ends.
80′ GOAL Wanderers with the equalizer, a good low shot from inside the box by Mo Adam 1-1.
84′ Berisha, a second-half sub, rolls his defender but shoots low and just wide.
88′ Both sides going for a winner in the final few minutes.
FULL-TIME: Western United 1-1 Western Sydney Wanderers
Western United 1 (McDonald 2’)
Western Sydney Wanderers FC 1 (Adam 80′)
GMHBA Stadium, Geelong
Saturday, October 5, 2019
Kick-off: 1pm (local)
Referee: Jonathan Barreiro
Assistant Referee 1: Yoav Fisher
Assistant Referee 2: Peter Jaworski
Western United starting line-up: 1. Filip KURTO (gk), 4. Andrew DURANTE, 6. Connor CHAPMAN, 8. Panagiotis KONE, 9. Apostolos STAMATELOPOULOS, 10. Scott McDonald, 11. Connor Pain, 12. Dario Jertec, 19. Josh Risdon, 22. Ersan Gulum, 23 Alessandro Diamanti (c)
Western Sydney Wanderers FC line up: 1. Daniel LOPAR (gk), 4. Dylan MCGOWAN, 6. Matt JURMAN, 7. Mitch DUKE (c ), 11. Bruce KAMAU, 13. Tass MOURDOUKOUTAS, 14. Alex MEIR, 17. Keanu BACCUS, 19. Pirmin SCHWEGLER, 21. Tarek ELRICH, 22. Nick SULLIVAN, 34. Patrick ZIEGLER
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
United’s first home in the A-League is Saturday, October 19 against reigning Premiers Perth Glory at GMHBA Stadium in Geelong.
Want the best-value membership in the Hyundai A-League?
CLICK HERE to become a Western United member.
