Western United fell to a 4-0 defeat against Melbourne City at AAMI Park on Saturday evening in Round 11 of the Isuzu UTE A-League Men.
A first-half explosion had the hosts in control with Marco Tilio and Jamie Maclaren finding the net either side of a Leo Lacroix own goal.
Andrew Nabbout sealed the win for the home side with six minutes to play, ending United’s three-match unbeaten run.
Team News
John Aloisi made one change after United’s draw with Brisbane Roar last week as Nicolas Milanovic came in to replace Alessandro Diamanti.
Jamie Young made his 185th Isuzu UTE A-League Men appearance, moving past Ante Covic into seventh on the all-time appearances list for goalkeepers.
First Half
Western United started strongly with Aleksandar Prijovic firing the first shot towards goal and Josh Risdon nearly turning in Milanovic’s resultant corner at the back post.
From there, though, City began to assert themselves on the game and a flurry of attacking play put the hosts in the ascendancy.
The first goal came in the ninth minute as Tilio pounced on a giveaway on the halfway line before sprinting into the box and placing a shot into the bottom corner.
Three minutes later it was two as Tomoki Imai slipped when Young played him a pass. That invited City into the box and Lacroix could only turn the ball into his own net as tried to turn and clear the danger.
City were unrelenting and had a third in the 24th minute when Maclaren picked up the ball with time to turn and shoot in the box, giving Young no chance.
Rado Vidosic’s side continued to seek further goals but Young was on hand to tip a Maclaren shot onto the crossbar, ensuring there was no additional impact on the scoreboard in the first half.
Second Half
United came out of half-time with much more energy and began to play with more directness in attack.
A ball over the top gave substitute Dylan Pierias his first chance to chase something down the right flank and his first-time cross to Prijovic was sublime, but the No.99 just couldn’t find the net as he stretched and sent the ball flashing past the post.
Aloisi’s team saw much more of the ball in the opening stages of the first half and strung a number of fluid passages of play together, but the final touch was found wanting in the box as City’s defensive numbers were on hand to whisk away any danger.
United remained largely the better side in the second half but couldn’t turn the improved performance in numbers on the scoreboard, allowing City to put a stamp on the evening.
Some tidy work in the box saw the ball break for Nabbout who chipped the ball over the onrushing Young and into the net, capping off a difficult evening for Western United.
