Five-star Sydney FC rout sorry Wanderers in A-League derby

Sydney FC inflicted a 5-0 derby rout to send Western Sydney Wanderers to their worst A-League defeat in the club's history.

With Adrian Mierzejewski's brace and Alex Brosque's first goal of the season, the Wanderers, undefeated in the last three derbies, waved a sorry goodbye to their recent cross-city dominance at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night -- and that was before half-time.

Youngster Lachlan Scott was still to score an own goal and Brandon O'Neill to put the finishing touch on a lop-sided affair that sends Sydney eight points clear at the top and leaves Josep Gombau's side 17 points adrift in ninth.

Saturday night was a textbook walkover, and Adrian Mierzejewski did the walking. The Polish winger carried flair into every foray and flaunted his astute dead-ball skills before the 36,433 in attendance.

The Wanderers are now eight games without a win in a drought stretching back to the opening round, their new coach still searching for a maiden triumph after four attempts.

The importance this match for Gombau was palpable in his early verbal shutdowns of assistant Hayden Foxe. The Spaniard's selection choices made it rather less obvious.

With Oriol Riera leading the attacking injuries, Gombau opted for Scott up front instead of veteran Brendon Santalab, moved Josh Risdon to the wing and inserted 19-year-old Keanu Baccus into holding midfield.

By 14 minutes the makeshift line-up was suffering as Mierzejewski's left foot took care of Sydney's first goal after Vedran Janjetovic parried away David Carney's shot.

The Johnny Warren Medal contender's second was a thing of brilliance, winning a foul off Jack Clisby before curling the free-kick over the wall and out of Janjetovic's reach.

But not before Brosque missed two golden opportunities in quick succession, finally converting a third off a superb team goal featuring one-touch passes and a perfect ball from Bobo that allowed the skipper to skip around Janjetovic.

It was not to be Scott's night. The 20-year-old, who had not played a previous minute this season, inexplicably skied the Wanderers' best first-half chance and then diverted Mierzejewski's cross into his own net before promptly being replaced by Santalab.

Soon after Michael Zullo was filthy the VAR disallowed his right-foot cracker for a Mierzejewski handball in the build- up.

Nevertheless the whitewash was on, and Janjetovic was called upon time and again, the last line of a defence so effortlessly carved open.

There was nothing he could do about O'Neill's left-field stunner from acres of space on the edge of the box.

Santalab leathered a speculative shot into the post, Jumpei Kusukami shot wide and Roly Bonevacia came close as the Wanderers hunted a consolation that would never come.