Goodwin stars as Socceroos WC spot looms

Adelaide United coach Carl Veart hopes captain Craig Goodwin's rich vein of A-League Men form can not only deliver World Cup selection but see him make a genuine impact for the Socceroos.

The winger starred in Adelaide United's 4-2 win over Western United at AAMI Park on Sunday.

Goodwin's Qatar selection appears a fait accompli and he underlined his credentials for a potential starting berth by teeing up Hiroshi Ibusuki for Adelaide's opener in the ninth minute before scoring 13 minutes later.

"That's up to Arnie (if he starts) and the availability of the players," Veart told reporters. 

"Some people might say that A-League players are at a disadvantage, but I think they've got an advantage because they're going to be fresh.

"They're going to be match-fit and they're going to be fresh. 

"All the players that have been playing in Europe, they're going to be going into the into the World Cup with a little bit of fatigue."

Veart delighted in the Reds' new-found clinical finishing after wayward form in front of goal last season.

Western started brightly and Dylan Wenzel-Halls had the ball in the back of the net inside the opening minute but was offside. 

Five minutes later, he smacked his attempt right at Adelaide goalkeeper Joe Gauci.

Adelaide pounced when Goodwin looped in a corner and Ibusuki coolly headed home.

Goodwin doubled Adelaide's lead when he received the ball, cut inside Josh Risdon then fired the ball into the roof of the net.

Things got really miserable for Western when Leo Lacroix failed to deal with George Blackwood's tame shot and instead knocked it over the line.

Aloisi called upon Nicolas Milanovic at halftime and eight minutes later, he was on the scoresheet, coolly finishing through Gauci's legs.

Adelaide added a fourth in the 79th minute when Harry van der Saag skidded a lovely ball across goal for Ben Halloran to poke home.

Western's Lachie Wales had a penalty well saved by Gauci three minutes later but Dylan Pierias nabbed a consolation goal from an Alessandro Diamanti corner in the 91st minute.

United sit bottom, are the only winless team in the league and have shipped a league-high 14 goals.

"We have 24 shots to their 10. They have four on target to our 11 and they win 4-2," coach John Aloisi said.

"That's the immediate reflection is that every time the opposition's getting a chance, they're scoring. 

"That's down to also some of our defensive frailties at the moment and individual errors that's costing us, it really cost us again. 

"Because the amount of chances that we're creating and we should be scoring - we still scored two - you should never lose a football game."