The Western Sydney Wanderers have claimed a 2-1 victory in their pre-season clash with the touring Wellington Phoenix at Lily Homes stadium in Sydney's west.
The Western Sydney Wanderers have claimed a 2-1 victory in their pre-season clash with the touring Wellington Phoenix at Lily Homes stadium in Sydney's west.
After the match remained goalless for the opening 80 minutes a flurry of late goals saw the Wanderers get their second pre-season win on the trot as their new signing Brendon Santalab scored a brace on debut.
The New Zealand based side had the better of the first half but could not get the early ascendancy over last season-s Premiers Plate winners.
The Wanderers began to look more dangerous when first team regulars Youssouf Hersi, Shinji Ono and Jerome Polenz were injected in the second half, but it was the visitors that got the opener on 81 minutes when 20-year-old Louis Fenton got the ball past Ante Covic.
It wasn-t long before Brendon Santalab got the Wanderers back on equal terms after converting from a Polenz cross to have the scores at 1-1.
The former Chinese Super League striker then gave his side the win in the dying minutes when he again headed home from a Polenz cross in what was a positive sign for the new look Wanderers attack as they claimed the 2-1 victory.
The A-League-s most capped player Matt Thompson came on in the 67th minute for the Phoenix and looked to impress with his first touch being a shot that was just wide of the Wanderers goal. The former Melbourne Heart player is currently trialling with Ernie Merrick's side.
The Phoenix now have a couple of days to recuperate in Sydney before they head up the F3 on Saturday to take on the Newcastle Jets while the Wanderers don-t play their next friendly until September 22 when they take on Adelaide United at Penrith-s Centrebet Stadium.