Western Sydney have warmed up for next week's derby with Sydney FC by ending a month-long wait for a win with a 1-0 victory against Western United.
The Wanderers, who hadn't won in their last four A-League Men starts, took the lead on Sunday through a first-half strike from in-form winger Yeni Ngbakoto and never looked back.
The victory also sent the Wanderers back up to second on the ladder, and it will be a result which they will hope sparks their season back into life after struggling to recapture their early form following the World Cup break.
New recruit Morgan Schneiderlin was given a 15-minute cameo off the bench at CommBank Stadium and Milos Ninkovic was also thrown on late as he works his way back to full fitness.
The scoreline didn't reflect the ease at which the Wanderers dominated, and the home side could have counted themselves unlucky to have not scored three in the opening half hour.
Ngbakoto shanked one well-worked move wide of the post before forcing United goalkeeper Jamie Young into a low diving save to his right.
The Congolese winger finally got the breakthrough when an Aidan Simmons' shot deflected off Nikolai Topor-Stanley and into his path in the 28th minute.
Ngbakoto finished with ease, registering his fourth goal of the season and forcing the visitors to change their approach.
John Aloisi's side had failed to find their groove but almost got back level when a floated Neil Kilkenny cross glanced the woodwork.
Thankfully for Wanderers boss Marko Rudan the ball bounced away from the goalmouth and his side got back on the front foot instantly.
Left-back Adama Traore nearly made it two for the hosts when he made a cavalier run up the middle of the field, only to blast his effort wide.
Early into the second half Traore had another effort deflected wide by Young and the Western No.1 was forced to palm a long-range Oli Bozanic effort away from goal.
Schneiderlin was thrown on with a quarter of an hour to play and looked comfortable alongside Calem Nieuwenhof in the middle of the park.
Hardworking forward Brandon Borrello thought he had added a second for the Wanderers in the 80th minute, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
