The debut Champions League run will continue for Western Sydney Wanderers after winning Group H earlier in the week. As the only A-League club left in the competition, the Wanderers have a potentially difficult task ahead both with a strong opponent in J-League side Sanfrecce Hiroshima and the possibility of playing in Japan just three days after the A-League Grand Final. That would, of course, require Western Sydney to beat Central Coast Mariners on Saturday at Pirtek Stadium in the domestic semifinal round. But should the Wanderers advance to the May 4 Grand Final, it would set up yet another busy week of travel and preparation in the first week of May.
Western Sydney Wanderers will face Sanfrecce Hiroshima in Champions League Round of 16
The A-League’s only remaining club flies to Japan in early May.
Hiroshima, who split its group stage games with the only common opponent for the Wanderers, Central Coast Mariners, reach the Round of 16 as the second place finisher in Group F. Elsewhere on the East Asia side of the tournament, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors will play Pohang Steelers, competition holders Guangzhou Evergrande will face Cerezo Osaka and last year’s runner-up FC Seoul will play Kawasaki Frontale.
The Wanderers will play Wednesday May 7 in Hiroshima before returning to Sydney to host Sanfrecce on Wednesday May 14 at Parramatta Stadium. Should they advance, the quarterfinals do not take place until August 20 and 27 and will come after a draw places the final four teams in the East Asia region.
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