Western United win over Mariners soured by Alessandro Diamanti injury

Western United burst back to form but their 3-0 win over Central Coast was soured by an injury to captain Alessandro Diamanti.

Western United striker Besart Berisha, right, celebrates his goal against Central Coast Mariners at GMHBA Stadium. Picture: AAP

Western United burst back to form but their 3-0 win over Central Coast was soured by an injury to captain Alessandro Diamanti.

Besart Berisha scored twice and Mariners defender Kye Rowles put the ball in his own net, as United surged to a 3-0 lead inside 21 minutes on Sunday afternoon at GMHBA Stadium in Geelong.

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“I thought we put the game to bed particularly in the first half and we had another (called offside),” United coach Mark Rudan said.

“It could have been four; we hit the crossbar as well – we created three big chances on top of three goals that we scored and our keeper didn’t make a save.

“So I wouldn’t call it a complete performance – it was a complete 45 minutes.”

United opened the scoring after just six minutes.

Diamanti eased past Gianni Stensness and looped a terrific ball towards Berisha, who powered a header from beyond the penalty spot into the top corner.

The home side doubled their lead via an own-goal in the 18th minute. Connor Pain’s sharp cross skidded past all comers and into the path of Josh Risdon, whose long-range shot was deflected into the net by Rowles. Three minutes later, the excellent Max Burgess went on a mazy run and cut the ball back to Berisha, who tapped home, with the ball taking a deflection off Rowles.

Diamanti limped off in the 27th minute after a challenge from Daniel De Silva and was replaced three minutes later by Dario Jertec.

Rudan said the challenge was “innocuous” but he believed his captain had suffered an ankle or foot injury that could sideline him for a “couple of weeks” although he hadn’t spoken to United’s medical staff.

“But he’s a tough character – he hasn’t missed one training session since pre-season started,” Rudan said.

“He loves to train, he’s a great pro, so for him to go down – and he gets hit quite a lot, not just in the games that you watch on weekends but at training as well.”

Rudan said he expected the playmaker – who had played every minute of United’s previous 13 games – to miss next Sunday’s clash with Adelaide United.

“He (Diamanti) said he went to play the ball and felt the kick as well come in a little bit late,” he said.

“It’s not his knee – it’s his ankle I think, or his foot.”

Rudan praised the work of energetic young midfielder Burgess, who started the game brilliantly then took on Diamanti’s role with aplomb.

“I thought before Diamanti came off he was the star attraction,” he said. “I thought he was fantastic.”

The victory, United’s first in over a month, keeps them entrenched in fifth place while the Mariners remain 10th.

“We just got punished for individual errors and some poor defending and that’s what happens when you play against a quality team like they are with quality individuals,” Mariners coach Alen Stajcic said.

“It’s just a cross in and Berisha gets in front of the player and scores.

“So they probably had three actions in that first 20 minutes in our penalty box and scored off all three and we had maybe seven or eight actions and didn’t produce the same amount of quality they had.”

AAP