‘Just not good enough’: First half of ‘elementary errors’ hurts Wanderers in 4-3 loss
Christian Montegan 
Western Sydney Wanderers captain Brandon Borrello in action during the Sydney Derby in Round 1 of the 2024/25 A-League Men season. Photo: Joshua Davis
The Western Sydney Wanderers celebrated their 10-year Asian Champions League victory anniversary on a sour note, suffering a 4-3 defeat to Adelaide United at CommBank Stadium.
Before the match, the heroic Wanderers squad, which became the first Australian club to win the Asian Champions League in 2014, reunited to commemorate the milestone.
Yet the current version of the Wanderers is a shadow of Tony Popovic’s reign, as three goals for the Reds inside 27 minutes set the scene for a disastrous night.
It took less than four minutes for Luka Jovanovic to open the scoring, and from there, the floodgates opened.
“That first half was pretty poor, especially that first 20 to 25 minutes. It was just not good enough,” a deflated Stajcic said.
“We knew they would come out like they did, very similar to how they played last week, and we didn’t deal with it, [and we were] compounded by some elementary errors.”
The goal of the match belonged to Adelaide’s Dylan Pierias, who produced a perfectly executed half-volley from outside the area before adding a second to his name after the break.
What was worrying about Pierias’ strike was the lack of pressure and intensity around the ball – a common theme throughout the match in which the Wanderers midfield seemed disjointed and lost.
“Look, [Pierias] had a shot from 35 yards [and] that can happen at any moment of a game… that can happen in any football match,” Stajcic explained.
“I was disappointed with how easily that happened for sure, but it’s not just that, it’s not the one moment, it’s the whole first 20 minutes that really wasn’t up to standard in terms of the possession and the discipline we needed to have.”
Still without a win in their first three outings and languishing in 11th with one point, the scrutiny is slowly beginning to mount.
Last night’s loss equalled a club record of six consecutive home losses in the A-League Men – further evidence that they are struggling to make CommBank Stadium a fortress.
Despite a gallant fightback which the gaffer described as the most important quality and the most pleasing part, the Wanderers lacked an identity in their style of play.
However, that is not enough for them to hit the panic button.
“Every game has the same level of pressure for me regardless if we’re on top with three wins in a row or three losses in a row,” Stajcic said.
“It’s irrelevant to be honest, a bit like making an error in a game. We can only look forward and move forward.
“We only have to look at what happened last year when everyone was on the back of the Mariners after four losses in a row and ended up winning the title.
“A season is not shaped [by] one game or one performance. It’s about the principles in place and the way the players are going to expose themselves when they’re under pressure.”
It was a night to forget for Tristan Vidackovic between the sticks, who made three first half blunders, including a parry straight into the path of Jovanovic.
The 21-year-old stands as the tallest frame in the league at 201cm, but growing pains are expected and Stajcic will ensure the club wraps their arms around him.
“I don’t shy away from saying that he’s a tremendous goalkeeper and he has a bright future ahead of him,” he said.
“I can’t think of one Socceroos goalkeeper who didn’t start their career in a similar way. I can go back to Mat Ryan’s first few games and all the others who have followed that path.
“Unfortunately for goalkeepers and defenders, when they [make] errors, it becomes a little bit more of an impactful moment in terms of scoreboards.
“He’ll grow and learn, and he has to because that’s his job if he wants to improve at this level. I’ve got great confidence in him.”
The Wanderers will desperately hope to register their first victory of the season in another home fixture against the Newcastle Jets on Friday.