Aleksandar Prijovic detailed a conversation with Western United coach John Aloisi that gave him the confidence that he would be fighting for silverware in Green and Black this year.
The Serbian striker was instrumental in United’s semi-final win over Melbourne Victory and issued a response to the doubters that thought his side could never be in this position.
“About the others, I don’t know what they tipped, but when John called me in the summer he said ‘come and help me to win the league’, so I came from the very beginning with ambitions to achieve something, to win something, and now we have the chance,” he told the Paramount+ broadcast post-match.
“We worked hard, we’ve been rewarded for the whole year’s work. We were in the top three for the whole year and for me it is not a surprise that we are in the final.”
Prijovic hadn’t scored a brace for Western United all season but chose the perfect time to get his first one when his teammates needed him most.
The No.99 opened the scoring with a clinical header in the 18th minute before he hauled United level in the tie once again early in the second half after Melbourne Victory had scored before half-time.
A lovely touch to assist Lachie Wales for the go-ahead goal in the 78th minute continued Prijovic’s Man of the Match display before he had a hand in the sealer deep into injury time.
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Despite his own starring performance, Prijovic credited the growing connection between him and his teammates and the application from the entire squad for getting the job done.
“I think it’s getting better and better (the relationship with his teammates). They are getting to know me better and I am getting to know the rest of the team and I think it’s going in the right direction,” he said.
“All the hard work as a whole team – we performed today very well, very compact very good in defence, and we got rewarded at the front. We had a plan, we analysed them, worked hard on the field and we get rewarded.”
After top-scoring for Western United with nine goals throughout the regular season, Prijovic has stepped up in the Finals series so far, scoring the winner in the Elimination Final and becoming the key man in the Semi-Final tie.
Speaking to media after the game, the Serbian admitted his love for playing in big matches which will hold him in good stead for Saturday’s decider.
“I used to love tough games, finals, cup games, Champions League, Europa League. I played some very good games, especially against better opponents. I have experience to score when it’s needed, and today it worked out, as a whole team it worked out,” he said.
Prijovic will now hope for one more dominant big-game performance in next week’s Isuzu UTE A-League Men Grand Final as Western United takes on Melbourne City with its first piece of silverware on the line.
Tickets will go on sale from 11am on Monday May 23 for Western United members or 5pm for general public. Secure your tickets for the chance to witness history and Go Harder with the Green and Black for the big dance.
