Wanderers end Sydney’s unbeaten run

Western Sydney have sent Sydney FC to their first A-league defeat this season, shocking the runaway leaders 1-0 to claim their maiden derby win in more than three years.

Thirty-seven months after Brendon Santalab scored the winner in the Wanderers’ last cross-town victory, the veteran striker set the stands alight on Saturday night with a 26th-minute opener that was never answered at ANZ Stadium.

Santalab’s was a remarkable moment of composure in an open, at times frenetic affair peppered with penalty claims - and, of course, tempers that continued after the final whistle.

One in particular will be scrutinised heavily when, at the death and with tensions at boiling point, Robbie Cornthwaite hung out a leg that hauled down Sydney skipper Alex Brosque in the box.

The Sky Blues conceded after missing several early chances when Mitch Nichols jinked in a cross off a questionable corner. Santalab feigned a first touch and patiently waited for a scrambling Bobo to slide past, before turning one-onone with Danny Vukovic and burying with ease.

The striker played hero and villain on a controversial night. Back in the starting line-up after last week’s surprise benching against Central Coast, the 34-year-old was the perpetrator of numerous reckless tackles but somehow didn’t make it into referee Chris Beath’s book until the 75th minute.

Tempers flared as a foul on Milos Ninkovic sparked an all-in melee and gave way to a frantic final 20 minutes during which Danny Vukovic twice kept Sydney in the game and Vedran Janjetovic made a superb double save to deny former team-mate Bobo from point-blank range.