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SUNDAY OCTOBER 9 2016 SPORT 55 Skilful Sydney rampant in derby WESTERN Sydney’s A- League derby drought will sur- pass three years after Sydney FC soared to an emphatic 4-0 victory to leave their cross- town rivals empty-handed yet again. The Sky Blues ran rampant in front of a record crowd of 61,880 at ANZ Stadium, where former Besiktas teammates Bobo and Filip Holosko seam- lessly scored the first two goals before whiz kid Brandon O’Neill executed an exquisite 85th minute free-kick and sub- stitute Alex Brosque complet- ed the rout with a minute remaining. It was the biggest Sydney derby win in the fixture’s his- tory and means the Wanderers will have gone winless for three years and three days by the time they get another chance on January 14. It was a rowdy and enter- taining night brimming with class and magnificent displays from Sky Blues goalkeeper Danny Vukovic and wriggling Wanderers winger Jumpei Kusukami. Tim Cahill lets the officials know what he thinks against Saudi Arabia. He is looking forward to having a crack at Japan Picture: GEORGE SALPIGTIDIS But it belonged to the Sky Blues, who were rampant and irrepressible, their clever movement and slick delivery too much for Tony Popovic’s men. Sydney had the better run Cahill predicts ‘special from the start as Western Syd- ney lacked the midfield com- posure Andreu had provided last season. The battle came to life on 30 minutes when Robert Corn- thwaite clattered into Bobo night’ against Japan and instigated an old-fash- ioned melee. The centre-back got to the DAVID DAVUTOVIC turn against Japan, including a ance of himself against Saudi “I’m not bothered about ball, but was lucky not to have goal in their last meeting in Arabia but was starved of qual- them to be honest, because the been sent off for the challenge, SOCCEROOS talisman Tim November 2014, could sway ity service, said it would be a focus of what we can do as a which earned him a yellow Cahill could be recalled to the coach Ange Postecoglou to “We’ll be relieved Japan side that’s just team is really important and card, as well as two others who first XI for Tuesday’s Etihad start Cahill after late substitute arrived in Melbourne after a we can’t lose sight of that,’’ Ca- entered the fray. Stadium clash against a “re- appearances in the last two ready ... and stoppage-time goal prevented hill said. If anything, the flashpoint lieved” Japan. Russia 2018 qualifiers. a potentially disastrous home “There’s a feeling in our- sparked the Wanderers and Ten years on from his “We’ll be ready against looking draw with Iraq. selves that three points they came on the counter with World Cup heroics in Kaiser- Japan and looking forward to forward to it” “Japan are a good team, but (against Saudi) was pretty venom. slautern, and after a host of it. I’m here ready if I start or I don’t know, 95th minute goal, much ours, especially Tomi They were closest to scoring tense international duels since, don’t start and we all have to T I M C A H I L L scraping through games, (Juric) getting his goal and us on the tick of halftime when Cahill forecast a “special” night be,’’ Cahill said. they’ll be watching that video conceding late. Mitch Nichols nipped a death in the decisive World Cup “I got five minutes (against on. It’ll be a special night, but with a bit of relief,’’ he said. “It was so close, but we backheel into the path of group B qualifier. Saudi), Mass (Luongo) came it’s about the team gunning for “I’m looking forward to didn’t get there. Jumpei. Japan, Australia’s biggest on and made a massive differ- three points. Japan, it’s massive and hope- “A bit fell their way, but I Jumpei’s classy display Asian rival, has been Cahill’s ence in a short period. “We have to make sure we fully a full house in my new still think we should’ve won. provided a mouth-watering bunny dating back June 12, “I’ve got some amazing learn from the Saudi result. home city.’’ “They were OK. preview of the creativity the 2006 when he came off the memories against a lot of these “It was a draw, we’re still top Cahill labelled it pointless “Their fans played to the oc- Japanese flyer will bring this bench to turn the match and Asian teams. I’ve been lucky of the group and we’ve got a looking at Japan or any op- casion, but the style we play, season with marauding solo the Socceroos’ World Cup for- enough to score a lot of goals big game against Japan, but ponent’s points tally, imploring they did get at us and techni- runs and a string of nutmegs. tunes on their head. against them, but Japan 2006, they’re all big games.’’ teammates to focus on their cally they surprised us a bit, But Sydney took the spoils And his stellar five-goal re- World Cup qualifiers and so Cahill, who made a nuis- Etihad Stadium game plan. they kept the ball well.’’ in the second half. City lose keeper but hold out Phoenix for victory MELBOURNE City withstood striker Roy Krishna had into seven long minutes of terwards. If we’d made the players on international duty losing their keeper to a second- pounced on a loose back pass extra time, and urged on by the second or third one, the game with the All Whites as well as half red card to post a gritty 1-0 and the ball struck a rushing 10,034-strong crowd, Welling- was played. injured defender Tom Doyle, win over Wellington Phoenix Sorensen, outside his protect- ton couldn’t find the equaliser. “But we didn’t do that, and said Wellington struggled to in their A-League season ed area, on the arm as the Fi- City coach John van’t Schip then in the second half after match City in the middle. opener at Westpac Stadium jian speedster closed in was pleased with his team’s re- the sending off, it was a differ- “We were overrun in the yesterday. towards goal. solve in shutting out the win, ent game. midfield, and I don’t think we City looked firmly in con- Referee Peter Green pro- but would have been happier “But the team showed really got hold of the midfield trol after Anthony Caceres’ duced the red card from his to see at least another goal character and togetherness. As at all in the first half. 31st-minute goal, but a 58th- pocket and Sorensen marched from their dominant first half. a team they were fighting, and “I thought in the second minute red card to keeper to the sidelines as the game “The first half, we played in the end that resulted in the half we had better chances, but Thomas Sorensen turned the erupted into life for the home some good football and creat- three points.” Phoenix coach I still don’t think the midfield Anthony Caceres game upside down. Phoenix side. But despite pressing hard ed some chances,” he said af- Ernie Merrick, missing four play was particularly good.” V1 - NTNE01Z01MA.

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