Western
Sydney revival as an A-League force has continued with a thumping 3-0 win at
the expense of Melbourne City.
Second-half
goals to Mitch Nichols and Mark Bridge either side of a controversial maiden
A-League effort from Federico Piovaccari on Friday night sealed a
third-straight win for Tony Popovic's side at AAMI Park.
The
Italian's goal on the hour mark produced ugly scenes when referee Peter Green
ignored an offside flag in the build-up.
Impressive
Wanderers full-back Scott Neville attempted a nutmeg of Ben Garuccio that would
have found Dario Vidosic in an offside position.
As
the linesman raised his flag, Neville played on, crossing for Piovaccari to
net.
City
were incensed at the confusion; surrounding and intimidating both officials as
they conferred before awarding the goal.
Stand-in
keeper Thomas Sorensen was outraged but turned peacekeeper as firebrand
forwards Bruno Fornaroli and Harry Novillo remonstrated wildly.
The
angst might have been better directed at their own performance, as they were
second best all night on their own pitch.
After
a poor campaign last season, Tony Popovic's side have put together three wins
in a row for the first time in two years.
For
the second straight week, Nichols put the Wanderers ahead.
Two
minutes after the restart of play, Neville played in Vidosic, whose rasping
ball across the face of goal found Nichols at the back post to tap in.
It
was a sucker-punch for John van 't Schip's side, after substituting centre-back
Aaron Hughes on debut at halftime.
City
lost their captain Patrick Kisnorbo mid-week with a calf complaint, with David
Williams also out with a knee complaint.
With
City shapeless, Bridge was on hand for his 50th A-League goal on 84 minutes.
City
would rue missing a chance to open the scoring past their former gloveman
Andrew Redmayne who, on 20 minutes, produced a microcosm of his City career.
The
A-League journeyman coughed up the ball to Novillo under minimal pressure, but
scrambled back to deny the 23-year-old before he could tap in.
Redmayne
would defy his former club once more, diving sensationally to his left to stop
Fornaroli with a late free-kick - ensuring the Wanderers' first clean sheet on
the road for 21 matches
TEAMS
Melbourne City: Sorensen, Garuccio, Hughes (Clisby 46'), Chapman, Retre, Paartalu, Melling, Mauk, Novillo (Espindola 65'), Kuzmanovski (Gameiro 46'), Fornaroli
Western Sydney Wanderers: Redmayne, Jamieson, Topor-Stanley (c), Aspropotamitis, Neville, Andreu (Pepper 76'), Delgado, Nichols, Bridge, Vidosic (Sotirio 82'), Piovaccari (Castelen 66')
Scorers: Nichols 47', Piovaccari 61', Bridge 84'
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