Western United have kept their finals hopes alive with a crucial 2-1 win over crosstown rivals Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park keeping them in the finals race.
Coming into the clash with plenty of momentum having recorded back-to-back wins and having had the wood over their local rivals, United would come into their clash quietly confident they could take out their struggling rivals.
And it would be United who started stronger out of the gates of the two sides. While the Victory looked lethargic for most of the opening 45 minutes, United looked threatening and would get reward for effort, going ahead 1-0 into the main break.
Noah Botic was the man to break the deadlock in the 38th minute, making it five goals from five games. Having been set up perfectly by Connor Pain with a low cross, the 21-year-old would find himself left unmarked at the right post and scored from inside six yards.
After a sluggish opening half, it was a more clinical Victory who took the field in the second half, wasting little time to even the ledger with scores tied up inside the opening five minutes of the half. Having won a freekick on the edge of the box, Bruno Fornaroli would step up and put in a strike which left United shot-stopper Jamie Young with no chance. It would lead to a momentum change which saw the Victory dominate the next 20 minutes, Fornaroli coming close to reversing the deficit.
Having peppered their chances, they’d be made to pay with United scoring against the run of play in the 69th minute, and it’d be a familiar face finding the net, Aleksandar Prijovic once again haunting the Victory. A defensive error helping the Serbian find space between two defenders and score what ultimately was the winning goal.
While the Victory arguably draws curtains on their season and look en route to record their second wooden spoon finish in three seasons, it’s the complete polar opposite for the away side the win ensuring United stay in the hunt to play finals knocking on the door of the top six, just just two points off a finals spot with seven games to be played.
Key Takeaways
Finals still on the cards
Having been inconsistent for most of the campaign, Western United looked to have finally got themselves settled and gotten their season back on track, with the win ensuring they finish the round just two points adrift from a finals spot.
Now recording three wins on the trot, United looked to be out of the rut and hitting their form at a crucial stage of the home and away season. Having recently re-signed John Aloisi for an extra three years, he looks to have repaid the faith as the side for the meanwhile turns their fortunes around.
Though it wasn’t a complete performance by the away side having been on the back foot for the opening 20 minutes of the second half, there was plenty for Aloisi to be encouraged about coming out of the game.
The summer of Botic
Having struggled to find his feet at first-team level, things are beginning to click for Noah Botic who is starting to prove his doubters wrong and showing that he can have an impact.
Having failed to score from his first 14 appearances, the 21-year-old has now found the net five times in his last five outings, going from goalless to the club’s joint leading goal scorer in the space of five weeks.
Causing headaches throughout the game for the Victory back four, Botic looks to have finally found his feet and looks to be playing a vital role in his side’s late season resurgence.
Prijovic haunts the Victory again
Having been a thorn in the Victory’s side since joining Western United, the Serbian would once again rain on their crosstown rival’s parade, scoring against the run of play inside the final 20 minutes to ensure his side left with all three points.
Having scored four times in seven appearances against the Victory, the 32-year-old has enjoyed playing in the derby, joint with Besart Berisha and Jake Brimmer for the most goals scored when the two sides clash.
Having scored 18 league goals since joining the club at the start of the 2021/22 campaign, he hasn’t scored more goals against an opponent more than he has against the Victory.
