Western United’s first Isuzu UTE A-League clash of the season at Ironbark Fields ended in a stalemate, drawing 1-1 with Western Sydney Wanderers on Sunday.
The Wanderers took the lead against the run of play in the 14th minute with Socceroo Brandon Borrello firing the ball beyond goalkeeper Matthew Sutton in Tarneit.
Western United – playing out of Ironbark Fields for a full season for the first time having enjoyed three games at the venue in 2023-24 – had plenty of chances and eventually levelled things up just three minutes into the second half as Hiroshi Ibusuki bagged his first goal for the club.
Wanderers keeper Tristan Vidackovic then recovered from a mistake to deny Ibusuki a second before substitute Noah Botic rattled the post but Western were forced to settle for a draw despite being the dominant side.
Spanish superstar Juan Mata was named in the Wanderers starting line-up for the first time since moving to the Isuzu UTE A-League on what was an historic day for Western United and their fans.
Western United started brightly but it was the away side who took an early lead.
Robbing the ball in midfield, Nicolas Milanovic threaded a pass into the path of Borrello who, going shoulder to shoulder with Tomoki Imai, barged the Japanese aside before drilling a low shot beyond keeper Matthew Sutton and into the net.
Despite going a goal down it was the home side who continued to dominate the ball but John Aloisi’s men just couldn’t fashion any clear-cut chances before the break.
That would change just three minutes into the second half though as Ibusuki rifled home his first goal in Green and Black.
Dancing down the left, Matthew Grimaldi beat his man before clipping a ball into the box and while the cross was cleared it fell straight into the path of Ibusuki, who smashed his volley beyond Vidackovic and into the net care of a deflection off Alex Bonetig.
Getting through 62 minutes on what was his first start for the Wanderers, Spanish World Cup winner Mata was substituted and the away side almost immediately found themselves 2-1 down.
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A poor touch from Vidackovic presented Botic with a chance but the keeper recovered, slide tackling the forward to win the ball before then producing a top save to deny Ibusuki a second after the Japanese striker fired the loose ball towards goal.
Western United then almost took the lead in the 67th minute but Botic’s curling effort from the edge of the box crashed back off the foot of the post.
At the other end Wanderers boss Alen Stajcic saw a good chance go begging in the 69th minute as forward Milanovic headed over from inside the box as both sides were forced to settle for a point in what was the first ever Isuzu UTE A-League contest at Ironbark Fields.
