Sydney FC will lock horns with rivals Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday evening and it promises to be a gigantic clash with both teams in good form.
The Sky Blues will be looking to make it three wins in a row for the first time in over a year, meanwhile the Red and Black will be looking to make it back to back derby wins.
Sydney FC are coming off the back of a very impressive victory over 3rd place Central Coast Mariners at Allianz Stadium, coming from behind to win 3-2. This adds to the 2-1 victory over Melbourne Victory a week prior with Adam Le Fondre scoring three goals in those two matches.
The Englishman now sits at the top of the goalscoring charts for Steve Corica’s side with six, with fellow countryman Joe Lolley hot on his heels with five. Lolley scored the pick of the bunch last Saturday with a sweet volley which brought his side level at 2-2.
Sydney FC continue to entertain having scored 23 goals this season, 18 of them from open play. Their expected goals tally sits as one of the best in the league, with only the Mariners and Melbourne City boasting a better record. When Sydney FC are involved you can expect goals and plenty of action in and around the box.
Steve Corica brought Joel King back to his former club last weekend and joins Sydney FC on loan and he will be eligible for this clash against the Western Sydney Wanders. Unfortunately, Rhyan Grant was shown a red card against the Central Coast and he will serve his one match suspension this weekend.
For Marko Rudan’s Western Sydney Wanderers, they come into this fixture off the back of a comfortable win over Western United in testing conditions on Sunday. A lone goal to Yeni N’Gbakoto was the difference as the sun beat down on CommBank Stadium.
The Wanderers burst out of the traps with 10 points from a possible 12 in the opening four matches of the season but since then have stalled slightly, gaining their first three points against Western United, since a 4-0 thrashing of locals Macarthur on the 1st January.
They come into this clash rearing to go and will be looking to set the ascendancy in their own home. With the Sky Blues yet to win a Sydney Derby at CommBank Stadium, they will be looking to get one over their cross-town rivals as the Wanderers did at Allianz earlier this season. Interestingly, Sydney FC are the best side at coming back from a goal down, doing so three times this season, but in contrast, the Wanderers have never lost after scoring first.
In that game earlier this season, Kusini Yengi scored the winner in front of the travelling RBB and Sydney FC will be hoping to do the same on the Wanderers patch.
Ones to Watch
Adam Le Fondre – Sydney FC
The Englishman has began to find his goalscoring form and boasts an impressive record, scoring three in his last two games. Le Fondre has always said that if he gets the service, he will put the chances away and now that the ball is falling his way, the former Premier League player will be looking to score in a third consecutive match.
Le Fondre has scored five of the last nine Sydney FC goals and has netted three times in the Isuzu UTE A-League against Western Sydney. As someone who thrives off of playing the villain, Saturday night’s explosive Derby will be one that Le Fondre will revel in. Leading the goalscoring charts for the club, the double penalty miss against Wellington Phoenix looks long gone and Adam Le Fondre will be one to watch at CommBank Stadium.
Yeni N’Gbakoto – Western Sydney Wanderers
31-year-old N’Gbakoto joined the Wanderers this season from Nancy in France and while he took his time to get going, is in red hot form coming into this clash. The French born striker plays his international football with the Democratic Republic of Congo and made his Isuzu UTE A-League debut against Sydney FC in the previous Sydney Derby.
The striker has four goals to his name already this season and most recently scored in the 2-2 draw with the Central Coast Mariners and the 1-0 victory over Western United last weekend. He has only lost one game with the club in matches that he has played in and that came at the hands of Western United. The striker is always going to be in and around the box and has the ability for the spectacular and will be one to watch.
Match Details
Western Sydney Wanderers v Sydney FC
Isuzu UTE A-League Round 16
Saturday 11th February 2023
CommBank Stadium, Parramatta, NSW
Kick Off: 7:45pm AEDT
Broadcast Live: Paramount+ & 10Bold
Tickets: Click Here
