Western United ended its 2023/24 Isuzu UTE A-League Men season with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Melbourne City at AAMI Park on Sunday night.
The Green and Black created some fantastic opportunities in an overall extremely positive display but couldn’t overcome Jamie Maclaren’s goal early in the first half.
While the season ends in defeat and an 11th-placed finish, United will carry plenty of positives in the 2024/25 campaign.
Western United Team News
John Aloisi made just one change to his starting XI, welcoming Kane Vidmar back in defence after the 19-year-old had missed the past two games with a concussion.
Charbel Shamoon dropped to the bench alongside Abel Walatee and Oliver Lavale, who were looking to repeat their heroics from last weekend.
First Half
Western United started well, looking comfortable in possession and finding space in between Melbourne City’s defensive lines.
Matthew Grimaldi was particularly lively, drifting across the final third and helping to carve out the Green and Black’s first sight on goal.
The youngster did superbly to wriggle away from pressure and find Riku Danzaki whose first-time ball found Michael Ruhs in behind. The No.9 slotted his finish through Jamie Young’s legs and into the bottom corner, but he made his run too early.
Grimaldi was involved again when he beat his man to get inside the box on the left win, but a mixture of hesitation and a lack of options helped City to recover and clear the danger.
Unable to capitalise on those early openings, United left City with a chance to take the lead and the hosts did just that.
It was an intelligent set piece as Tolgay Arslan fired it into Marin Jakolis who flicked it on for Jamie Maclaren to apply the finish at the back post.
That was really the only chance that City were able to carve out, but United stayed on the front foot and had two big opportunities to equalise.
Both of them fell to Lachie Wales, the first of which drew a good save from Young with the City keeper coming out sharply to smother the ball at his feet.
The second was much more comfortable for Young as Wales directed his header straight at the keeper after Danzaki found him at the back post.
Second Half
Despite trailing at the break, United carried plenty of positivity into the second period and immediately went in search of the leveller after the restart.
Ruhs had the first effort of the half when he found space in behind City’s defence, but Young again came to the hosts’ aid with a strong double-handed save.
The rebound fell to Grimaldi and for a second it looked as though the goal would open up for the United youngster, but he hit his effort tamely and Young was able to recover on his line.
Needing to hold the lead in order to make finals, City were content with limiting the spaces and slowing the game down, although Maclaren did spurn a guilt-edged opportunity to score a second when he picked out Heward-Belle with a tame effort in the box.
United entered the final 20 minutes with continued enthusiasm and Young pulled off his best save of the night when Danzaki looked as though his looping header would find the top corner.
Five minutes later, Walatee gave another indication of his exploding talent when he launched down the left wing and thumped a shot across the goal and into the back of the net.
The youngster sprinted to the corner flag in celebration but turned around with his head in his hands as he saw the offside flag raised, with replays showing an incredibly tight call.
It wasn’t to be in the end for Western United as the season ended in defeat, but this performance was yet another indication of the side’s bright future as the team looks to reload for the 2024/25 campaign.
