It was interim coach Michael Valkanis’ first game after van ’t Schip’s unexpected resignation on Wednesday and led City to its first win since claiming the FFA Cup Final in November.

The only goal of the game came from Ivan Franjic (19’) which evaded Wanderers debutant goalkeeper Vedran Janjetovic after his switch from Sydney FC.

Wanderers lost centre-back Aritz Borda 30 minutes in when his elbow clipped Bruno Fornaroli off the ball.

City could have had more, Tim Cahill nearly opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a trademark header when Luke Brattan’s corner landed for the Socceroo legend, only for Jaushua Sotirio to clear it off the line.

But nine minutes later Franjic would get City off the mark when Kearyn Baccus’ headed clearance from a corner landed to the right-back who volleyed the ball home.

The home side nearly doubled its lead minutes later when Fornaroli teed up left-back Josh Rose whose shot just evaded the right post.

Down the other end Jack Clisby’s through ball found Mitch Nichols clear in the box but Dean Bouzanis denied the stand-in captain.

Wanderers would then be reduced to 10 men on the half-hour mark when Aritz raised his arm and clipped Fornaroli’s face off the ball which was picked up by referee Alan Milliner who showed the Spaniard his marching orders.

Western Sydney looked better in the second half after going a man down and nearly equalised just after the hour mark as Bruno Pinatares’ curling shot was beaten away by Bouzanis.

City continued to search for the second. Brattan’s ball into the box in the 66th minute found Fornaroli, with the final shot blocked by Clisby.

Wanderers nearly pinched a point when Nichols’ deflected shot landed to Lachlan Scott but his first-time shot just evaded the post.

In the final minute Bruce Kamau almost iced the game when he was one-on-one with Janjetovic but the goalkeeper came out on top.

City travel to Adelaide next week to meet the Reds as Valkanis faces his old club. Wanderers face crosstown rivals and table-topping Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium.

Melbourne City: 20. BOUZANIS Dean, 5. FRANJIC Ivan, 8. KILKENNY Neil, 9. COLAZO Nico (85’ 12. FITZGERALD Nick), 11. KAMAU Bruce, 17. CAHILL Tim (82’ 10. CACERES Anthony) 21. TONGYIK Ruon, 22. JAKOBSEN Michael, 23. FORNAROLI Bruno, 26. BRATTAN Luke (71’ 6. MALIK Osama)

Western Sydney Wanderers: 20. JANJETOVIC Vedran, 3. CLISBY Jack, 5. HAMILL Brendan (74’ 42. BACCUS Keanu), 6. NICHOLS Mitch, 10. MARTINEZ Nico (82’ 23. SCOTT Lachie), 13. PINATARES Bruno, 14. JUMPEI Kusukami (36’ 18. CORNTHWAITE Robbie), 15. BACCUS Kearyn, 16. SOTIRIO Jaushua, 17. BORDA Aritz, 22. ASPRO Jonathan

Referee: Alan Milliner

Crowd: 10,731