Western Sydney Wanderers remain bottom of the A-League table having succumbed to a late equaliser against Newcastle Jets at Hunter Stadium.
After taking the lead in the 85th minute from the spot, the Wanderers gave away a penalty of their own in stoppage time to surrender an all-important lead that would have given them faint hope of mounting a late charge to the finals.
New Jets signing Kije Lee inflicted the blow against Western Sydney with a calm penalty that cancelled out Brendon Santalab’s classy spot-kick that looked to have given his club all three points just minutes from time.
It was telling that both goals occurred from handballs in the box as the two bottom teams of the A-League gave little impression they are likely to move much further up the table come season’s end.
There was early composure from the Jets that did not reflect their off-field turmoil of recent weeks and a maturity greater than their average age. However, there was no breaking through the Wanderers’ wall which was set-up against a youthful Newcastle the way they would against an Asian Champions League opponent.
Disciplined, organised and stacked with bodies, their style of play indicated just how important another result was after months of performances that counted for little. If football is a game of confidence then it’s clear the Wanderers are on the comeback trail.
A patient approach hinged on pressuring the struggling Jets into errors and that nearly happened after 25 minutes. The Wanderers’ two Socceroos combined as Tomi Juric pounced on an error to cross to Matthew Spiranovic but a scuffed shot trickled harmlessly wide.
They came closer ten minutes later with Juric again the architect. A flick-on to Labinot Haliti gave the winger space to shoot and he curled the ball into the far corner with a lovely finish, only to be ruled offside by the linesman. Juric came close but was comfortably blocked by Jets goalkeeper Ben Kennedy.
It was the last action of a first half that was otherwise forgettable and regretful for Newcastle Jets who failed create a single chance despite dominating possession. They struggled to get past the Wanderers backline and It was little surprise their first real attempt came via a set piece.
The Wanderers, to their credit, looked sharp in their transitions and seemed the most likely to score. They should have when Nikita Rukavytysa rounded Ben Kennedy en-route to goal but a rushed finish spilled his shot well-wide of an open net.
Just as that chance appeared to be the best they would get, they were gifted a seeming match-winner. Former Wanderer Daniel Mullen scuffed a clearance onto his arm giving referee Lucien Laverdure no choice but to award the visitors a penalty. There was plenty of pressure on Brendon Santalab to give his club the momentum they desperately needed but he didn’t show any signs of that as he chipped the ball into the back of the net with a cheeky “panenka”.
Just as the Wanderers fans were celebrating a second win of the season, defender Antony Golec’s raised arm blocked a shot inside thebox, providing Lee the chance to give joy for his troubled club, slamming the ball into the net for an equaliser that felt like a win for the hosts.
In fairness, a draw was no less than either term deserved in a match that was in every regard a battle for the spoon. Occasionally, contests between two cellar dwellers offer unexpected excitment when mistakes can lead to chances, games open-up and pride proves greater motivation than honours. Unfortunately, this was not the case.
source:smh.com.au
STUDIO 3 NEWCASTLE AUSTRALIA 