The Wanderers play a “double points” match this week, hosting the Brisbane Roar at Pirtek Park in a top of the table clash.
Given the position of both teams at the top of the table this game could be seen as worth “double points” for the Wanderers. It would be a huge boost if they could take three points and by that token stop Brisbane from claiming any.
This match and the one other clash between the title contenders could potentially provide a six point swing to the men in red and black.
What doesn’t help is a sour taste in the mouth after a draw on the road to Newcastle last weekend, especially given the levelling goal came in the 90th minute of the match.
Leaving the timing of that goal out of the equation, the truth is the Wanderers and Jets played themselves just about evenly.
Even the goals came in very similar fashion.
The opener was a screamer from Newcastle’s Andrew Taggart outside the box and Aaron Mooy got the Wanderers off the mark with a wonderfully taken free kick. Each team’s second goal, including Andrew Taggart securing his brace, came from set pieces that turned onto goal mouth scraps.
A Wanderers draw left the Roar with a chance to extend their lead at the top of the ladder and they did the job against Central Coast Mariners, snatching victory with a 90th minute goal.
That gives the Roar a seven point lead at the top of the A-League ladder and a chance to build an almost unassailable lead going into the final stretch of the season if the Wanderers can’t take points this week.
Popovic is trying to prepare the side for this vital match amid a tumultuous period in Wanderland.
Foundation Wander Woman Catherine Cannuli played her last home match for the club after announcing her retirement from football this week. As she was an early multi-year signature, this perhaps signals a period of change in the women’s team as well as the men’s.
On the men’s front the signings of Golgol Mebrahtu and Daniel Mullen were announced this week. Both players will be unable to play for the club during the A-League this year but have signed on until the end of the 2015/16 season.
Where Mebrahtu and Mullen will be able to contribute immediately is in the imminent Asian Champions League group stage. The games come thick and fast, including overseas travel after the first match at Pirtek Park on February 26.
They will still require a settling period and will need to build relationships around the team while it faces an important stretch of matches.
If there wasn’t already enough happening around the club it is expected the Football Federation Australia board will meet and approve the sale of Western Sydney Wanderers to a consortium for $12 million.
That consortium is led by Paul Lederer of Primo Smallgoods, founder of Pirtek Peter Duncan and Philippine businessman Jefferson Cheng. Cheng is already a strong investor in youth football in the area and Pirtek is the naming rights sponsor of the Wanderers’ home ground.
Given such a fluid environment off the field the product on the field hasn’t deteriorated as much as might be expected. The team haven’t reached the heights of the inaugural season that felt like a fairy tale at times, but they still find themselves in second place on the A-League ladder.
The side has been thoroughly rotated to allow for the upcoming Champions League period and now the rubber is about to hit the road. Everything else needs to play second fiddle to the important match this Friday night. The Wanderers must beat the Roar if they are to retain the premiership.
