Zac Sapsford is enjoying a breakout season with Western Sydney Wanderers in 2024-25. aleagues.com.au looks at the numbers behind the 22-year-old’s form.
In a team stacked with Brandon Borrello, Nicolas Milanovic and Juan Mata, it is sometimes easy to forget about the other guy at Western Sydney Wanderers.
No other Wanderers player has scored more Sydney Derby goals than the 22-year-old. His brace in last week’s wild clash with bitter rivals Sydney FC saw him take his derby tally to five – just one shy of Alex Brosque’s all-time record. He also set up a goal in the unforgettable 3-3 draw at Allianz Stadium.
“It’s obviously great because, you know, there’s no other way to become a hero at your club (than) if you score against your arch-rivals,” former Melbourne City goalkeeper and Denmark legend Thomas Sorensen said on this weeks’ episode of A-Leagues Download.
“He is still a young player, so you’ll be looking at more consistency, spread them out and do it week in and week out.
“It definitely shows his mentality is right. And you need players that can step up in big games.”
Five of Sapsford’s eight A-Leagues goals have come in the blockbuster fixture; however, there is more to the unheralded Western Sydney attacker, who is a man for the big occasion and predator inside the penalty area, having scored every one of his goals from inside the box.
The former Sydney FC youngster is enjoying the best season of his professional career thanks to his six goals in 15 appearances – he is putting up elite numbers in 2024-25.
With a goal every 147.7 minutes, Sapsford is scoring more often than the likes of star Macarthur Bulls captain Valere Germain, Wellington Phoenix great Kosta Barbarouses, Sydney FC’s former Celtic striker Patryk Klimala and Wanderers teammate Milanovic.
His six goals this term have come from an expected goals (xG) of 5.85, which ranks sixth in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
Sapsford, who is also second for goals scored from fast breaks (two), is in the top 10 for big chance scored (five).
Since his debut in October 2022 and among players aged 23 or younger, only Western United gun Noah Botic, Adelaide United strikers Archie Goodwin and Luka Jovanovic, and Sydney FC star Adrian Segecic have scored more frequently than Sapsford.
In fact, his 171.3 goals per minute ratio is better than former A-Leagues star Nestory Irankunda, now on the books of Bayern Munich, and new Portsmouth signing Thomas Waddingham in that timeframe.
But Sapsford’s impact on this Wanderers team goes beyond numbers and stats. This is a player who is key to Western Sydney’s press, a tireless worker in a star-studded front three.
He is also shaping as key to Western Sydney’s finals hopes.
“They probably need more more often from Zac Sapsford,” Sydney Morning Herald reporter Vince Rugari said on this week’s episode of Total A-Leagues.
“If he can play Sydney FC every week, he’d be in a good place.
“I think in AFL circles, they’d call him an uphill skier. He saves his best for the for the big games, which is interesting. So it shows there’s more in him.”
