Palm Beach Sharks 0 Western Sydney Wanderers 2
Palm Beach Sharks 0
Western Sydney Wanderers 2
(Delgado 26’, Hamill 86’)
The A-League powerhouse ended the Sharks’ FFA Cup run with a solid 2-0 win at Cbus Stadium on the Gold Coast.
The Sharks started confidently but Wanderers settled and soon eased past the Sharks. New signing Mitch Nichols released Sotirio on the right side of the box, and the youngster shimmied then crossed to the far post for Delgado to head home unmarked on debut.
Federico Piovaccari and Nichols had efforts on goal but the visitors weren’t able to add to their tally by the break.
Brendon Santalab came on in the second half for Piovaccari while another substitute Josh McDonald came close to making it 2-0 in a tight second half.
Jack Boxell, last year’s Cup hero for the Sharks, was introduced as the home side stepped up their efforts to equalise in front of the almost 1800 fans.
But in the final minutes Wanderers saw off the Sharks with a second after a corner wasn’t cleared and Brendan Hamill guided it home low past the keeper to make it 2-0 and book the red and black an FFA Cup quarter-final spot.
