THE OFFICIAL MATCH DAY PROGRAMME FOR THE NRMA INSURANCE WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS FC EIGHTH EDITION | SEASON 2012/13 TUESDAY, 01 JANUARY 2013 | ROUND 14 VS MELBOURNE Victory FC SECOND CHANCE TO GRAB VICTORY MORE GOALS TO COME FROM ONO SLICK FEET: POLJAK VS ROJAS OFFICIAL WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS FC PARTNERS CONTENTS CONTENTS NO SECOND 03 LET-OFF LOOMING FOR Victory After the 2-0 score last time they met, the Wanderers are set to even the score against Victory tonight. S INCE YOU WERE 04 LAST HERE The Wanderers annihilated 05 Adelaide United 6-1 on the 21st December. WE DON’T LIKE SHINJI 05 ONO, WE LOVE HIM Shinji Ono is in peak fitness, scoring goals and enjoying his Australian experience. 03 Players TO Watch Today’S Match 07 Poljak vs Rojas - two players 08 Will the Wanderers with bountiful ability and even the score against tremendous potential. Victory tonight? 07 NYL Match REVIEW WANDERLAND NEWS 13 The Youth League team 10 Meet some of our volunteers toughed on out in 34 degree and school ambassadors. heat to draw with Adelaide United at Burton Park. WESTFIELD W-LEAGUE Advertising ENQUIRIES 12 Match REVIEW WESTERN SYDNEY For all advertising enquiries please The Wanderers went 14 WANDERERS FC contact Jonathan Bannister on Partners 02 8602 6407, 0438 429 713 or email down 3-nil to Victory [email protected] at Wembley Park. Thanking our 2012/13 partners. PHOTOGRAPHY SPOT THE DIFFERENCE CAPTION CONTEST Front cover photograph courtesy of 12 15 Getty Images. All photography courtesy of Can you spot the five Caption the photo of Getty Images, Beans & Mash Photography differences in the photos Shinji Ono for your and Eric Berry. of Tahj Minniecon. chance to win. EXperience Australia Day AT Wanderland CORPORate Hospitality PACKAGES NOW Available Starting from $500, exclusive corporate hospitality options are now available for the Australia Day clash against Melbourne Heart. For more details contact Jonathan Bannister by phone 8602 6407, 043 842 9713 or email [email protected]. 02 WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS FC VS MELBOURNE VICTORY FC NO SECOND LET-OFF LOOMING FOR Victory NO SECOND Let-OFF Looming FOR Victory Courtesy of Getty Images THE NRMA INSURANCE looked like coming back from there. young captain and he guided me around. WESTERN SYDNEY It was a disappointing, 2-0 loss, but the It was part and parcel of his make-up. WANDERERS have BEEN Wanderers learned a lot from that game, “I can see why players want to be waiting FOR THIS ONE. as they have shown with their results under his make-up and enjoy it too AFTER MISSING A GOLDEN since. Now, they get the chance to square – he can be strict, but he can also put opportunity THE FIRST the ledger against one of the competition’s his arm around you. He knows what TIME AROUND AGAINST glamour teams. The Victory will know he wants. You either fit in, or buy into MELBOURNE Victory THIS they are in for a difficult time against it – or you don’t. It will be difficult SEASON, WE NOW GET an outfit that has been a revelation in to get into the team if you don’t.” ANOTHER CHANCE. their debut Hyundai A-League season. Popovic would be the last to talk about Coach Tony Popovic has had such aspirations beyond his first season of The Wanderers were well on top a profound effect on his team that coaching the Wanderers, though. He’s approaching half-time in the round-eight expert judges are already tipping him got a job to do here and he is devoting game against the Victory at Parramatta as a future Socceroos coach. Among all of his concentration to that. Stadium. The Victory were down to those praising Popovic has been Fox 10 men, with defender Sam Gallagher Sports commentator and former having been red-carded in the 15th Sydney FC captain Mark Rudan. minute, and the Wanderers had created “I think that goes without saying, and numerous chances without putting I’m not the only one who thinks that,” one away. But, then, disaster struck. Rudan said when asked if Popovic looked Wanderers captain Michael like national coach material. “He’s only Beauchamp put the ball in the back of been a head coach since March this his own net whilst making a defensive year, but he’s doing fantastically well. play in the 44th minute and the whole If he continues on this way, there’s no momentum of the game turned around. question he’ll coach the national team. The Victory went to half-time “He’s pretty meticulous, thorough, he with that 1-0 lead and dominated plans things out, knows what he wants. A the early stages of the second half - lot of people questioned why he took so eventually doubling their lead through long with his signings, but he’s a bit of a an Archie Thompson goal in the perfectionist. Popa’s always been a leader. 59th minute. Even with their one- Even at my time when I came through Courtesy of Getty Images man advantage, the Wanderers never under him at Sydney United, he was a WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS FC VS MELBOURNE VICTORY FC 03 SINCE YOU WERE LAST HERE SINCE YOU WERE LAST HERE ROUND 12 VS ADELAIDE UNITED at Parramatta Stadium The NRMA Insurance Western Sydney Wanderers secured three wins in row for the first time in their short history, with an emphatic 6-1 victory over second-placed Adelaide United tonight at Parramatta Stadium. Coach Tony Popovic had nothing but praise for his team for totally dominating their fancied opponents 3-0 at half time before putting them to the sword with another three goals in the second stanza. “Even at 3-0, we challenged the players to try and go on with the game,” Popovic said. “It’s always difficult at 3-0 whether you take your foot off Courtesy of Beans & Mash Photography the pedal and try and hold on and make it a difficult second half. up an opportunity for striker Dino The cheers from the 9054-strong “To get another three Kresinger, who put the ball in the back crowd continued when a backward goals was very pleasing. of the net, only to have it ruled offside. scissor kick from Ono allowed “We always maintained that with In the 17th minute, some great Kresinger to head the ball through our performances and opportunities footwork courtesy of Youssouf goal during extra time. we’re creating, our day would come Hersi set up Bridge for the Kresinger’s first goal for the club where things would fall for us and Wanderers’ first goal of the game. put them up 3-0 going into half-time we would punish our opposition.” A great pass from Shinji Ono was The Wanderers opened the second But Popovic isn’t looking followed up with a chip kick from Hersi half just as they finished the first half, on too far ahead at this point. over the head of the Adelaide defender, the attack and searching for more goals. “I’m just thinking ahead to the which allowed Bridge to slot the ball Their efforts were rewarded in the 51st next match (against Perth away in pass the goal keeper at close range. minute, when Ono’s shot from right on on December 27),” he said. Some solid pressure through the the 18 yard box, sailed past the Adelaide “I’ll certainly enjoy Christmas lunch midfield from Ono, Aaron Mooy goal keeper, making the score 4-0. a little bit more after that victory. and Polenz opened up the match, In the 57th minute, Bridge made “But we’ve got a tough 10-day which allowed the Wanderers to set it a hat-trick when he and Hersi period, with three games in 10 days up some opportunities on goal. connected to put the Wanderers up 5-0. against very good opponents. The best chance came through Adelaide was able to make their “Our focus is on those three Bridge at the 26 minute mark, whose first mark on the scoreboard when games and to hopefully come out shot was cut-off by Adelaide’s goal Dario Vidosic beat some desperate with the right outcomes for us and keeper and captain Eugene Galekovic. defence from Topor-Stanley in maintain this positive run.” After going down with a calf the 67th minute of the match. Popovic also commended hat- strain, Adam D’Apuzzo was That however, was the only highlight trick scorer Mark Bridge. subbed off in the 34th minute, for the Reds who were outplayed and “He finds the opportunities in replaced by Iacopo La Rocca. out enthused for the entire contest. every game he plays,” Popovic said. Great defensive work from Nikolai Substitute striker Joey Gibbs, on “He gets in the right positions, Topor-Stanley and captain Michael for Kresinger, was able to put the icing but unfortunately for him he hasn’t Beauchamp in the backline kept on the cake in the 89th minute with a had the reward for his good play. Adelaide relatively quiet, with very few beautiful shot from just inside the box, “Today for him to get a hat-trick, real opportunities on goal in the first half. making the final score of the match 6-1. I’m sure he’ll go home very happy.” Parramatta stadium erupted right Western Sydney Wanderers FC 6 The Wanderers had their first real before half-time, when some fancy (Bridge 17’, 44’, 57’, Kresinger chance at the six minute mark of the footwork by Bridge in the 44th minute 45’+2, Ono 51’, Gibbs 89’) match, when Mateo Poljak and Jerome put him and the Wanderers on the score Adelaide United FC 1 Polenz linked up in the corner to set sheet for the second time in the match.