Aleksandar Prijovic's knack of scoring against Western Sydney Wanderers has continued as the Serbian striker fired Western United to a much-needed A-League Men win.
Prijovic's chested goal from a James Troisi cross in the fifth minute was enough to secure a 1-0 triumph at AAMI Park on Sunday.
It was his third strike in as many starts against the Wanderers - all resulting in wins.
Importantly, the goal and a first clean sheet of the new campaign lifted last season's champions to a second victory in three games.
"It was a massive win for us," United coach John Aloisi said.
"It was really important to keep that clean sheet and make sure that we get back to what we're really good at - and that's making sure that we're really hard to score any goals or get any chances (against)."
Aloisi felt the performance would silence critics who have claimed his team is united in name only.
"They showed today how much they want to work together," Aloisi said.
"I've been hearing murmurs about there's people that don't want to be here, which was ridiculous, but you're always going to get questioned when you lose.
"I think we've put that to bed."
Mali international Tongo Doumbia impressed on his return to United's starting line-up and started a sweeping move upfield for the goal when he won the ball back in his own half.
Ben Garuccio played in Troisi, who cut the ball past Wanderers goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas and across the six-yard box for Prijovic.
The big man didn't bother stooping for a header, instead calmly chesting the ball into an open net.
Western Sydney had chances to level before halftime but Sulejman Krpic blasted the best of them over the bar and sent a header wide, while Yeni N'Gbakoto shot straight at United 'keeper Jamie Young.
Krpic again wasted a great chance after the break when his close-range shot was saved by Young, who also denied Calem Nieuwenhof's drive from the edge of the box.
"We got punished for a slow start - simple as that," Wanderers coach Marko Rudan said.
"We had two unbelievable chances one-on-one with the 'keeper and we didn't take either one of those.
"It was certainly a game where I didn't think they were better than us, that's for sure."
There was nothing resembling the Melbourne derby chaos that descended on the same venue less than 24 hours earlier, with few fans on hand for Sunday's fixture.
A small group staged a quiet protest at the A-Leagues' decision to play grand finals in Sydney for the next three years.
At the 20-minute mark, members of United's active support walked out from their usual place in the stadium's south stand.
But most of the action was on the park, where Prijovic's goal settled the contest.
