Sydney FC 0 Western Sydney 2
IF THE FIRST Sydney derby belonged to Sydney FC, who spoiled the party at Parramatta Stadium in October, it seemed only fitting that Western Sydney return the favour.
This was the night the ''Westies'' came and conquered the city. The Wanderers' two-goal margin could and should have been greater.
The Cove watched the latter stages in stunned, awkward silence. At the other end, in numbers Allianz Stadium has not seen before, the Red and Black Bloc provided the soundtrack for the 26,176 on hand. They would sing into the night, and there might be any number of sore heads from Lidcombe to Leura. There certainly ought to be.
This win was also the fruits of hard work from Tony Popovic. He's moulded the Wanderers into such a well-drilled battalion. It's hard to believe this club was just an idea six months ago.
There's a lesson there for Frank Farina. He needs his players reading from the same page. Nothing went right for Sydney FC and even Alessandro Del Piero, who came on with 20 minutes to play, was booked.
More on the game later. In the stands was the real story. If last night is any indication, this derby will only get better and better each time it gets played. The atmosphere and energy of the first derby was wonderful but, somehow, the stakes were raised again.
Divine intervention even put a rainbow over the stadium that connected both sets of supporters before kick-off but that was the sole friendly touch. All bets were off between the fans. Yes, there were flares, but it only added to the spectacle of two rousing bands at either end. A magnificent sight - one you just don't see and hear anywhere else. Football fans are active, not passive.
Full marks to the those who crossed town - their touch of raising banners with western suburbs' postcodes was cheeky. They represent places many Sydney FC fans have never visited. That, in essence, is why this city needed a second team, and why the derby will become one of this city's great - never mind football - sporting events.
The world-class start off the field wasn't quite matched on it as both teams seemed to be caught in the moment of the occasion, squandering possession and letting their nerves dictate play. The Wanderers began the brighter though and it wasn't a surprise when they went ahead on 24 minutes. Shinji Ono's delivery found Jerome Polenz, who headed down for Youseff Hersi. His pivot earned him a precious gap and his finish was beyond Vedran Janjetovic.
Five minutes later, Shinji Ono's devilish turn that left Terry Antonis standing was followed by the most gorgeous of efforts from distance, a looping shot that curled centimetres wide. The Japanese star is getting better by the week. If he can stay fit, something special awaits.
It's not unfair to say that the two teams are looking to shape themselves in the image of their respective coaches. Popovic, a decade-long anchor of the Socceroos' defence, has his side tightly compressed, especially at the back. Farina, equally famous for his national exploits in attack, wants the Sky Blues to mirror his own forward-thinking style.
As half-time arrived, Sydney FC found themselves in the all-too-familiar place, chasing the game at home. Regular visitors to Moore Park can just about set their watch to that scenario.
They know, just as well, that Sydney tend to come alive in the second half. However, something was missing. They would hope and pray that Del Piero could make the difference when he entered the fray.
Instead, it was ex-Sydney defender Michael Beauchamp who clinched the game when arrived in the right place at the right time. He hugged Nikolai Topor-Stanley like a long-lost relative at the final whistle. At long last, Sydney would be painted red and black.
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