Western United midfielder Steven Lustica praised the work of his teammates in securing the Club’s first win of the new A-League Men season.
A 78th minute strike from substitute Dylan Wenzel-Halls – his first for the club – was enough for the Green and Black to secure victory against Perth Glory, getting the side off the mark in 2021/22.
And Lustica said while he thought the side performed better in defeat against Melbourne Victory a week earlier, that the win showed the spirit of the squad to grind out the result.
“Great character from the boys to get the result, especially when we didn’t have our best performance. Overall, we’re very happy to get our first win of the season,” he told RSN.
The win also marked a first A-League Men win as Western Untied Head Coach for John Aloisi after he took over in July.
Lustica said everyone is behind the project and the systems that Aloisi and his coaching staff are implementing, and he can feel the morale boost around the Club.
“It’s been so positive since the first day he’s come in. We’ve worked on our structures, the way he wants us to play, and everyone’s bought into it, everyone’s on board,” he said.
“It will take a bit of time but every game is hard. Every game is going to be a battle and we’ve got to be on top of our game if we want to be up there winning games.”
Now into the Club’s third season, Western United will look to return to the finals after missing out last season, but the off-pitch developments are just as important as success between the white lines.
Steven Lustica predicting big things at Western United
Having been with the club since halfway through its inaugural season, Lustica feels the sense of anticipation for the future, hinting to a big couple of years ahead in the West.
“This is now my third season. The club’s got a big future ahead. We’ve got a new chapter now with a new coach, we’ve got new players in,” he said.
“There’s so much happening at Western United that there’s a lot to look forward to. Obviously, there’s a new stadium happening, new facilities, the fanbase is growing. It is going to take a couple of years for it to all happen, but year by year it seems likely everything’s coming along nicely.
“The club’s a very family orientated club, we’re building our fanbase, and there’s definitely a lot to look forward to in the future. The future looks bright for Western United.”
Lustica will now turn his attention to preparations with his teammates for a meeting with reigning champions Melbourne City before a chance to move into the FFA Cup Round of 16 next week against Wellington Phoenix.
