Western United have won their first A-League Men’s Championship in just their third season, beating Melbourne City 2-0 in the grand final to complete the redemption arc of coach John Aloisi.
United took the lead with a goal from City defender Nuno Reis in the second minute, the fastest goal in an ALM decision, with Aleksandar Prijovic doubling his lead to 30 in front of 22,495 fans at AAMI Park.
The title, which United won from third place, is Aloisi’s first medal as a coach and prevented City from becoming the first team to complete the first-round consecutive first-tier doubles.
United opted for Aloisi, who had not coached since 2018 after a difficult end to his time at Brisbane Roar and a brutal first job at Melbourne Heart.
It paid off as they became the second team after Melbourne’s 2017-18 victory to win from outside the top two, despite being without Alessandro Diamanti, Rene Khrin and Nikolai Topor-Stanley.
Serbian striker Prijovic won the Joe Marston medal as a focal point for United, while central midfielders Leo Lacroix and Tomoki Imai pinned Jamie Maclaren. Connor Pain was also excellent while Josh Risdon overcame an early injury.
Before the match, United’s active fans deployed a “west has come typhus” and it turned out to be prophetic in two minutes. Former City player Ben Garuccio hit a corner on the near post and Prijovic went higher just because the ball bounced off the head of Reis in an own goal.
United held City with just one shot in the first half and doubled their lead in the half hour. Pain’s shot was blocked by Reis and the ball bounced off Pain’s face, hit Connor Metcalfe and skidded into Prijovic’s path, which ended in a cold.
The goal was initially scored, but after a quick review with VAR Kris Griffiths-Jones, referee Chris Beath conceded it.
The home crowd was not impressed when Carl Jenkinson came in from the right, shooting hard to score after 44 minutes. Jenkinson was not punished, but was hit by Scott Galloway in the middle.
City missed United’s goal after the break. Curtis Good fired a shot from distance after 48 minutes, but the long shot couldn’t find the net for Metcalfe.
Andrew Nabbout unleashed a swerving effort from the right that the visitors’ keeper did well to tip wide. Fifteen minutes later, Young made a wonderful stop with his fingertip to throw Galloway’s long-range shot over the crossbar and secure United’s victory.