Besart Berisha gives Western United A-League lift-off

Western United wasted no time leaving their mark on the A-League, beating Wellington Phoenix 1-0 in their first game.

Western United's Besart Berisha celebrates after scoring against Wellington Phoenix at Westpac Stadium. Picture: Getty Images

Western United wasted no time leaving their mark on the A-League, beating Wellington Phoenix 1-0 on their competitive debut in the league.

Besart Berisha took the first-ever touch by a United player and scored the club’s first goal, netting a first-half volley to get the expansion club up and running.

Mark Rudan’s side will face tougher opponents this season — the Phoenix were listless and pretty much toothless for much of Sunday’s clash.

But on this evidence, Western’s expensively assembled and extensively experienced outfit will make good on their promise to challenge for the finals in their first campaign.

Alessandro Diamanti pulled the strings in midfield, Connor Pain was bright out wide and Dario Jertec was a fine foil in the middle.

Stream every game of The 2019/20 Hyundai A-League season LIVE & On-Demand with KAYO SPORTS. Get your 14 day free trial & start streaming instantly >

United looked well-drilled from the off, even as Andrew Durante — marshalling the three-man defence at age 37 — was jeered relentlessly by fans of his former club.

Nix fans were also less than welcoming to the return of their former coach Mark Rudan, booing him throughout.

One fan brought a particularly scathing “One Thief, Three Traitors” banner; a reference to Rudan and the players who defected from the Nix to the A-League’s newest side.

It was another player that might have been in Wellington colours that hurt them the most.

Berisha’s 34th-minute goal, his 117th A-League strike, was all the crueller for the Phoenix given the ex-Melbourne Victory and Brisbane Roar title-winner turned down their advances to sign with Western.

The veteran striker was left unmarked to volley home Josh Risdon’s cutback.

The result may foreshadow a season of struggle for Ufuk Talay’s side. As predicted, without a proven goalscorer in his side to replace Roy Krishna and David Williams, Wellington struggled to create chances.

Hyped Mexican signing Ulises Davila didn’t leave an impression and United goalkeeper Filip Kurto only had one memorable save to make: from Liberato Cacace’s long-range bomb.

Alex Rufer should have equalised with 20 minutes remaining from Callum McCowatt’s volleyed centre, only to struggle to deal with the pace of the cross.

Stefan Marinovic then produced a top-drawer save to deny Scott McDonald a goal on his return to Australian club football, more than two decades after he left it.

McCowatt, a highly rated attacking prospect, saw plenty of the play on debut, but like his young teammates, will need to improve quickly.

Matches against last season’s grand finalists come next, before away days against Melbourne’s other two teams in a challenging first month for Talay and his players.

AAP