Sydney Derby (A-League)
 |
|
| Locale | Sydney, Australia |
|---|---|
| Teams |
Sydney FC & Western Sydney Wanderers |
| First meeting |
Wanderers 0–1 Sydney FC (20 October 2012) |
| Latest meeting |
Wanderers 1 - 0 Sydney FC (18 February 2017) |
| Next meeting | TBA |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 15 |
| Most wins | Sydney FC (7) |
| Top scorer |
Kerem Bulut Alessandro Del Piero Marc Janko Iacopo La Rocca Shinji Ono Alex Brosque Dario Vidosic Brendon Šantalab (2) |
| Largest victory |
Wanderers 0–4 Sydney FC (8 October 2016) |
The Sydney Derby is a local soccer derby contested between the Australian A-League's two Sydney-based clubs, Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers. Contested for the first time on 20 October 2012, historical, cultural and sporting factors have resulted in the derby being considered one of Australian soccer's biggest club games and the biggest rivalry in the A-League. Crowd sentiment at derby matches has been said by Alessandro Del Piero to produce atmosphere and emotions similar to those in Europe, while Wanderers player Mateo Poljak stated that the sixth Sydney Derby had an atmosphere that was the best he had experienced as a player.
The competitive nature of the Sydney Derby is largely based upon the historical, cultural and geographical divide between the Greater Western Sydney region (home to Western Sydney Wanderers), and eastern, southern and northern Sydney (home to Sydney FC). The cultural makeup of the two clubs fits into this wider divide. As Sydney FC began their life in the Eastern Suburbs they took on the "Bling FC" moniker, with the ownership intent on building Sydney FC into the "glamour club" of the A-League. When the Wanderers began their supporters quickly began to push the club towards a working class ethic and one that represented local players and the people of western Sydney .
The rivalry between the two clubs also stems from the A-League's establishment. Prior to the introduction of Western Sydney Wanderers in the A-League, the only club to be based in the city was Sydney FC as part of FFA's 'one-city, one-team' policy for the newly established league. This deal gave Sydney FC a five-year city exclusivity, allowing the club grow throughout the region without competition. Though Sydney FC was not fully embraced by the region, as the club's original intention to play at Parramatta Stadium was later changed by FFA chairman Frank Lowy. Lowy's forcing of the club to move to Sydney Football Stadium left many association football fans in Sydney's west feeling alienated from the club. Sydney FC's exclusion of the western region soon mirrored the pre-existing cultural and social divide of the city.
...
Wikipedia