Western Sydney Wanderers FC (WSW) host Sydney FC (SFC) in the third & final Sydney Derby of 2019-20 edition of Australia’s top football league. SFC, the league leaders, has picked up 47 points from 19 games, while WSW is on eighth with 25 points from 20 games.
The Key Players – SFC
Englishman Adam le Fondre and 30-year-old Kosta Barbarouses have combined scored 24 goals for SFC this season. Barbarouses also has six assists to his name. Meanwhile, SFC’s defence, led by 35-year-old Alex Wilkinson, has only conceded 15 goals in the league. Wilkinson and his centre-back partner Ryan McGowan has started in every SFC game so far.
Tireless midfielder Luke Brattan is another player to watch out for in the SFC squad. The Australian, who has made more than 1000 successful passes, provides defence-splitting passes. Right-back Rhyan Grant and winger Milos Ninkovic, too, are having an excellent campaign. Grant has set up four goals and scored the winning goal in SFC’s first home game, while Ninkovic has scored five goals and has two assists.
The Key Players – WSW
Despite conceding 27 goals, WSW keeper Daniel Lopar has impressed in his first season in Australia. The Swiss goalkeeper has made 64 saves so far, an average three saves per match. He kept a clean sheet in both matches against SFC in 2019-20. Much is expected from centre-back Matthew Jurman who has made an outstanding 43 interceptions this season.
WSW fans will be delighted that captain Mitchell Duke is leading from the front. The 29-year-old has scored five goals in WSW’s last five matches. Duke also scored the winning goal in the last two Sydney derby. He is ably supported by attacking midfielder Nicolai Müller. The German has scored five goals and has supplied three assists.
Detailed stats of WSW & SFC players
Head-to-Head in 2019-20
SFC has lost two games in 2019-20 Australian League so far, and both came against neighbours WSW.
26-10-2019: WSW 1-0 SFC (Mitchell Duke 19′)
28-02-2020: SFC 0-1 WSW (Mitchell Duke 81′)
Probable Playing 11
WSW: Daniel Lopar (GK), Matthew Jurman (DEF), Dylan McGowan (DEF), Patrick Ziegler (DEF), Daniel Georgievski (DEF), Keanu Baccus (MID), Jordan O’Doherty (MID), Nicolai Muller (MID), Bruce Kamau (FWD), Simon Cox (FWD), Mitchell Duke (FWD)
SFC: Andrew Redmayne (GK), Rhyan Grant (DEF), Alex Wilkinson (DEF), Ryan McGowan (DEF), Joel King (DEF), Luke Brattan (MID), Paulo Retre (MID), Milos Ninkovic (MID), Anthony Caceres (MID), Adam le Fondre (FWD), Kosta Barbarouses (FWD)
Pick your WSW vs SFC playing 11 now!