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Preview
Wanderers sitting pretty to kick start A-League season
The Western Sydney Wanderers have made a promising start in reversing last season’s poor campaign.
A win, draw and loss in the first three rounds of the season has the Wanderers sitting inside the top four in what is shaping up to be one of the tightest A-League seasons in recent memory.
While it may not be the brightest possible start at first glance, the opening to the 2018/19 campaign has the Wanderers right where they’d want to be. After bowing out in the semifinals of the FFA Cup, they managed a 1-1 draw with early season contenders Perth Glory – the only points the Glory have dropped so far this season. The Wanderers then fell to top of the table and undefeated-as-yet Sydney FC, before putting on a clinical 3-0 demolition of Wellington Phoenix last week in the Nix only loss to date. All three Wanderers games this season have been away from home, with the side yet to host a match to start the season.
New signing, German Alex Baumjohann, has been impressive in his start at Western Sydney, linking up well with star striker Oriel Riera, with both nabbing their first goals of the season against Wellington.
This weekend’s clash…
This weekend, Western Sydney will head regional as they take their Round 4 community match to Mudgee against the winless Brisbane Roar. The match will acknowledge and remember the service men and women who gave their lives serving their country, played in the A-League’s Remembrance Round this Saturday 10 November starting at 5.35pm.
Forming a critical aspect of the Wanderers regional and community strategy, the clash will be played at the Glen Willow Regional Sports Centre in Mudgee, helping to boost the game in the Central West region. The Wanderers will be confident heading into the clash off the back of a superb win last round, as well as playing in front of their home fans for the first time this season. Further to this, the Roar have only won one of their past five clashes against the Wanderers in New South Wales, as well as now failing to keep a clean sheet in their past ten away matches. Manager Markus Babbel will return for the Wanderers this week after serving a one-game touchline ban last round.
The Western Sydney and Brisbane rivalry is nothing short of epic.
The Wanderers following match will see them take on 2017/18 Runners-Up Newcastle Jets. Back at Spotless Stadium in a primetime Friday night clash on 23 November, kick off is at 7.50pm. This will be fans’ first chance to see the Wanderers at Spotless Stadium this season, with an army sure to be out in force.
The Wanderers are expecting to be challenging at season’s end, with Sydney FC and Perth Glory their early-season competition. Melbourne City and Adelaide United will be looking to upset the apple cart further, while last year’s Grand Finalists Melbourne Victory and Newcastle Jets are yet to kick into gear but can be expected to turn their form around quickly.
Tickets to the see the Western Sydney Wanderers and the A-League this 2018/19 campaign can be found at Ticketmaster.com.au.
