Western United Head Coach John Aloisi hailed the impact of the fans after Saturday’s thrilling 2-2 draw with Melbourne City at AAMI Park.
United leapt to a two-goal lead in the first half via goals from Leo Lacroix and Rene Krhin, but the reigning champions came back to earn a point with strikes from Connor Metcalfe and Jamie Maclaren either side of half-time.
READ MORE: Match Report – Western United 2-2 Melbourne City
The match was played in front of 8,127 people, the second-biggest crowd United has seen at a home match since its inception in 2019, and Aloisi said the noise was felt on the pitch.
“Our fanbase is, of course, only two years old, so that’s going to grow. A lot of the time it does give your players a lift. We haven’t got that yet, but today it felt more so,” he said in his post-match press conference.
“Hopefully they come back because they saw some great football in that first half. That does help the players go up another level. Sometimes we have to find that energy from ourselves but today the fans really helped us get that energy.
“Tactically it was a very good game, on top of that it was exciting with four goals, and the fans did make that atmosphere as well.”
Western United fans showed up in numbers for top of the table clash
The crowd figure was particularly pleasing due to the late fixture change that brough this top of the table clash forward by seven days, with only three days’ notice for the Club to promote the revised date.
On the pitch, Aloisi said it was a “brilliant first-half” from the side before City fought back in the second period, but the United boss is still very content with the result.
“It’s a positive point for us because we haven’t lost to them this season. Beat them twice and drawn once, so that’s positive,” he said.
United will now look ahead to an away trip to face Sydney FC this weekend before a midweek clash against Melbourne City and another away day against Brisbane Roar to end the month of March.
