- Incident in Western United vs Newcastle A-League game
- Cheeky moment was captured by broadcast cameras
Nobody is perfect on the football field – just ask Japanese A-League star Hiroshi Ibusuki, who just had a very embarrassing moment on live TV.
Western United stayed in touch with A-League leaders Auckland FC with a commanding 6-2 thumping of Newcastle on the weekend.
Leading 5-0, the side was sitting pretty and everything appeared to be going perfectly.
However, their coach John Aloisi’s eagle eye spotted something was badly wrong: Ibusuki’s uniform.
During a drinks break, the Socceroos legend noticed that the Japanese striker’s shorts were on back to front – and had been all game.
The sheepish star then ducked off to rectify the wardrobe malfunction, drawing a smile from his coach.
Pictured: Coach John Aloisi tells Japanese star Hiroshi Ibusuki he has his shorts on back to front during Western United’s big win over Newcastle FC last weekend
Fortunately Ibusuki’s shorts gaffe didn’t halt Western United’s charge toward the A-League premiership (Ibusuki is pictured celebrating after a match with his children)
Meanwhile, Aloisi knows he can’t stop his players looking at the ladder but has warned they can’t get ahead of themselves if they’re to pull off a remarkable late-season push for the A-League Men premiership.
With league leaders Auckland FC shipping a 90th-minute equaliser to draw with Central Coast earlier on Sunday, United raced to a 4-0 halftime lead at McDonald Jones Stadium and matched the Jets’ two-goal output in the second stanza to cruise to their fourth win on the bounce.
Scoring 16 goals across that winning run – their 46 for the season second-best in the league.
The three points United took from the win moved them to 38 this season, four back of Steve Corica’s table-toppers.
And though the Kiwi-based side has a game in hand, they will also have to travel to face their challengers on the season’s final day.
‘There’s still a long way to go,’ Aloisi warned.
‘I’ve said to the boys – and then I’m pretty sure they’re doing that – don’t worry about the ladder.
‘They will always look at it, like everyone does, but focus on the performances. I know it sounds like a cliche, but you can only take it one game at a time.’
Aloisi (pictured) saw the lighter side of his star’s wardrobe malfunction
An own goal from Mark Natta made it 2-0 just two minutes after the opener, Rhys Bozinovski’s second goal in as many weeks made it three in the 29th minute before Botic set up Riku Danzaki for a fourth in just the 35th.
With the temperatures in the 30s and his side playing their third game in a week, Jets coach Rob Stanton swung the changes at halftime.
While Bozinovski grabbed his brace in the 53rd minute the scoreline was dragged back by Charles M’Mombwa and an own goal from Angus Thurgate.
Michael Ruhs broke in behind to put a bow on the result in the 85th minute.
‘I’ll own it, no problems,’ said the Newcastle boss.
‘It’s a part of life.
‘No excuses; you can say we’re fatigued, but we didn’t show enough mental strength to be able to dig our heels in at times and compete.’
