“We’re a very,very fit side,we ran all over them,even with 10 men,but they started going down,play-acting,wasting time. I just reminded him of something he said to me a few years ago when I was at Wellington when I beat him 3-0. That’s all,nothing else.”
Corica replied:“Rudes is just a little bit frustrated,obviously,with their performance and the result. We took it on the chin when we lost at our home ground. He’s probably just been a little bit of a sore loser,I think,tonight.
“I can’t remember them having a real clear-cut chance – I think we probably had the better chances. I do think they played well tonight as well,but,all the possession doesn’t get you wins sometimes ... it’s about putting the ball in the back of the net.”
Wanderers fans unveil their impressive tifo before the start of the Sydney derby.Credit:Getty
Not much went right for Western Sydney,aside from the unveiling of a spectacular pre-match tifo by the Red and Black Bloc depicting Freddy Krueger (evidently a closet Wanderers fan) with his claws hovering ominously over the Sydney Opera House – emblematic of the “white collar” eastern suburbs,the so-called enemy of the “downtrodden” people of the west,as Rudan described his club’s supporter base during the week.
It was a brilliant banner. Unfortunately for the home fans,that was about as visually stimulating as it got at CommBank Stadium. Their much-vaunted stars failed to generate any real attacking momentum until deep into the second half,and even then,it wasn’t much. Rudan called it a “one-off” blip,adamant they are still heading in the right direction.
Sydney FC,in contrast,started ferociously and then faded as the match wore on. But crucially,they had something to hold on to,which Burgess provided with his wonder strike from the top of the box.
A one-time charge of Rudan’s at Western United,Burgess corralled a deflected cross from Diego Caballo with his chest,jinked past Wanderers skipper Marcelo – who the cross originally deflected off – and then whacked it into the back of the net in eye-catching style.
Minutes later,Marcelo –Western Sydney’s defensive rock and spiritual leader – was subbed off with injury. Little-known Sunderland academy product Beadling was blooded for his debut to replace him.
By the time they were able to fully recover from that early blitz and the loss of Marcelo,the niggling visitors had already burrowed their way under the Wanderers’ skin,snugly settled into a defensive rhythm they were able to ride all the way to the final whistle.
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This was their third consecutive win,a feat they have not managed in almost two years. It continued their impressive turnaround under Corica,whose job looked in serious jeopardy only three weeks ago amid rampant speculation that Dwight Yorke was poised to replace him.
Sydney now sit in fifth place on the ladder,just one point adrift of the Wanderers,who seemed ready enough to anoint themselves as the city’s premier club until they had to prove it on the pitch.
Not that Rudan is deterred. “What I saw tonight,we’re going one way as far as I’m concerned,” he said.
“I’ve been around the game for a long,long time,played it for a long time,coached it now for a while. We’re building into this season. Played some great stuff. We’ll be fine. I’m not bothered about Sydney FC or anyone for that matter.”