Creative Soccer Culture

Framed #170 | Western Sydney Wanderers v Sydney FC

Western Sydney Wanderers have enjoyed a fine start to life in their new, purpose built Bankwest Stadium, but a sold-out local derby against Sydney FC would certainly provide a stern test of their credentials. Local derby down under in a brand new stadium with added Wanderers' manager Markus Babbel doing his best Peaky Blinders? Got ‘Framed’ written all over it, so of course we duly obliged by attending.

The first-ever Sydney derby at the all-new Bankwest stadium doubled up as a top of the table showdown, with both teams having enjoyed a perfect start to the season. And it was a local derby in the perfect sense, encapsulated by brothers Dylan and Ryan McGowan, who have played in numerous countries throughout their careers but now find themselves back home and lining up as players on opposite sides. That right there is everything a local derby should be: families and loyalties divided for 90 minutes, before life resumes as usual at the final whistle. Except for with some added bragging from the winning side of course…

syd 2-min.jpg

Affectionately known as ‘Wanderland’ by the Wanderers fans, one of the ideas behind the design of the Bankwest Stadium was to get the fans as close to the action as possible, and with a sold-out crowd it certainly contributed to the pulsating atmosphere within. Sydney FC took the initiative, with wave after wave of attack for the majority of the opening 20 minutes, but it was the home side that took the lead against the run, with captain, Mitchell Duke thundering home his third goal of the season with the definition of a diving header.

Moving into the second half and the visitors continued to apply the pressure in search of an equaliser. With no goal line technology they were left infuriated after Kosta Barbarouses' header ricocheted off the post before trickling along (and across?) the line before being gratefully scooped up by Daniel Lopar. And that’s the way the game played out; the Wanderers riding their luck, but also defending admirably, whilst last season’s champions huffed and puffed, but ultimately came up short. Fans left gloating or fuming depending on the colours they wore.

syd 6-min.jpg
syd 40-min.jpg
syd 65-min.jpg
syd 64-min.jpg
syd 41-min.jpg
syd 38-min.jpg
syd 63-min.jpg
syd 62-min.jpg
syd 61-min.jpg
syd 60-min.jpg
syd 54-min.jpg
syd 59-min.jpg
syd 31-min.jpg
syd 30-min.jpg
syd 29-min.jpg
syd 28-min.jpg
syd 58-min.jpg
syd 57-min.jpg
syd 52-min.jpg
syd 55-min.jpg
syd 24-min.jpg
syd 23-min.jpg
syd 22-min.jpg
syd 19-min.jpg
syd 48-min.jpg
syd 47-min.jpg
syd 53-min.jpg
syd 50-min.jpg
syd 14-min.jpg
syd 11-min.jpg
syd 9-min.jpg
syd 8-min.jpg
syd 1-min.jpg
syd 4-min.jpg

Photography by Aleksandar Jason for SoccerBible.

Author
Daniel Jones

The Creative Soccer Culture Brief

Sign up to our newsletter and we'll keep you in the loop with everything good going on in the world of Creative Soccer Culture.