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Western United may have only secured a point from their first home game of the season, but they deserve credit for actually trying to build their own identity in Melbourne’s west.
Had Iraq youth international Charbel Shamoon not ballooned a header over the crossbar in stoppage time, the green and blacks might have taken all three points from Sunday afternoon’s clash with Western Sydney Wanderers.
Instead, John Aloisi’s side had to make do with a point from their 1-1 draw after new signing Hiroshi Ibusuki smashed home a deflected volley following Brandon Borrello’s early opener.
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Borrello’s goal in Tarneit was significant for a reason that is often discussed – but not always appreciated – by A-League fans.
That’s because he drove home the opener on a pitch that could only be described as a carpet at Ironbark Fields.
How long have we been talking about A-League clubs needing to play out of their own stadiums so that they can control the quality of the pitch?
Well, that’s exactly what Western United are doing.
Western United fans at Ironbark Fields. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
It may not be the stadium they committed to building upon entering the league, but it’s still better than nothing.
And having watched Melbourne City capitulate in their 3-1 derby defeat to Melbourne Victory on Saturday night, it’s also more of an identity than the City Football Group has managed to develop.
Active supporter group Bay 12 Melbourne claimed in an Instagram post they had been “kicked out” of bays 12-14 at AAMI Park on Saturday night, blaming the Australian Professional Leagues for deeming their presence “unsafe”.
That would no doubt explain why there were such large gaps in the terrace behind the goal – almost as large as the gaps City left in their defence during that disastrous opening 30 minutes.
If Aurelio Vidmar is the right long-term option for the club, he failed to show any evidence of it as City were systematically picked apart by a side led by their former coach, Patrick Kisnorbo.
Does anyone at the City Football Group care?
Before Sanfrecce Hiroshima’s 2-1 win over Sydney FC in the AFC Champions League 2 last week, News Corp journalist Marco Monteverde revealed former midfielder Tolgay Arslan – last season’s top scorer – left the club because City failed “to follow through with its promise to offer Arslan a contract extension on the same terms as his existing deal”.
Which begs the question: if one of the world’s richest ownership groups don’t think it’s worth doing anything to secure their best player, then what good are they?
And if Sydney FC and the Wanderers can sign marquee players like Douglas Costa and Juan Mata, why can’t Melbourne City?
They’ll face Western United next on Melbourne Cup Eve at a venue that is still officially listed as TBC – but will presumably be AAMI Park for security reasons.
You’d think the APL might deign to let fans know, given kick-off is now just a week away, but then organisation has never been their strong suit.
They’ve still managed to schedule a plumb run of fixtures for Auckland FC, mind you – with any semblance of competition integrity blown out of the water by the fact the blue and blacks play outside of New Zealand just twice before the new year.
Steve Corica’s team needed a scrappy Nando Pijnaker winner seven minutes into stoppage time to see off Sydney FC 1-0 on Sunday afternoon – only after Sky Blues defender Hayden Matthews had a late goal disallowed by VAR for offside.
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The stage is set for a monumental Kiwi derby next weekend when Wellington Phoenix welcomes the competition newcomers to Sky Stadium for the first time.
We’ve needed new storylines in the A-League for years now, and Auckland have been a breath of fresh air – friendly fixture list and all.
But the real credit should go to Western United and their efforts to build a community in Melbourne’s west.
It may be a slow burn, but they’re done more to lay down roots than plenty of their rivals.