No red-card regret for Aloisi after United beat Roar

UNDER-fire coach John Aloisi has no regrets about being sent to the stands as Western United snapped their six-game losing run in a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over older brother Ross’s Brisbane Roar.

United shipped a penalty against the run of play, which Jay O’Shea dispatched in the 69th minute.

The home side had two goals disallowed and appeared destined to sink to a seventh consecutive loss, until they won a penalty of their own, which Daniel Penha scored with seven minutes of normal time remaining.

In a dramatic finale, skipper Josh Risdon scored the winner in the 91st minute, handing United their second win of the season and lifting them off the bottom of the A-League Men ladder and into 11th above Perth.

Aloisi was booked for dissent after Brisbane’s goal, with his second for kicking an advertising hoarding celebrating Penha’s would-be equaliser in the 74th minute, which was chalked off because Michael Ruhs was offside.

“If I can’t show passion in the game, we’re trying to promote the game,” Aloisi said.

“I’m not swearing at that stage. I’ve just run on to the field to celebrate a little bit and then I kicked the little advertising thing on the side and that’s emotion, frustration.

“I didn’t know the goal was disallowed. Mind you, I’m celebrating a little bit, in an angry face. Probably I could have gotten sent off before during the game for some of my antics, but not [that].

“Anyway, I have to deal with it, have to accept it.

“But it’s the emotion of the game, it’s the emotion of what we’ve been through in the last six games. And you know what? I’m not going to apologise for showing emotion.”

The Socceroos great saw the lighter side of things, joking “By the way it was with my right foot.”

“If it had been my left foot then it would have been a real kick, it [the hoarding] would’ve ended up in the stands,” he said.

Aloisi was uncertain whether his send-off, the second of his coaching career, would sideline him for next Saturday’s away clash with Sydney FC.

He considered the win deserved after United delivered arguably their best performance of the season.

“It was more a relief because the boys have deserved a lot more, that’s the relief,” he said.

“I can handle people criticising me because I’ve had it in the past and I’ll have it in the future. That’s going to happen. That’s part of our game.

“My belief never strayed at all and the players’ belief had never really gone.

“Again that showed tonight. It would have been easy for them to fold, 1-0 down, but they kept on going, kept on going and so I’m just pleased for them.”

Shortly after Aloisi’s send-off, United had another goal disallowed as Ruhs handballed before scoring.

The hosts equalised when Jack Hingert was penalised for a handball after a VAR review.

Penha converted the spot-kick and eight minutes later Risdon headed home Lachie Wales’s cross to send United into ecstasy.

“It was the most desperate I’ve seen that team all season,” Roar coach Ross Aloisi said.

“So well done to them, but disappointed in the football that we played.

“But I take full responsibility because I’m the person that’s gotta get these players up for the game.”

– ANNA HARRINGTON/ AAP