Perth Glory and Brisbane Roar battled in a fiery encounter which saw Besart Berisha sent-off for Roar and a total of eight yellow cards dished out by the referee as the game ended 0-0.
Perth Glory and Brisbane Roar battled in a fiery encounter which saw Besart Berisha sent-off for Roar and a total of eight yellow cards dished out by the referee as the game ended 0-0.
The Albanian striker is no stranger to controversy in the fixture after Glory fans believed he dived in the 2012 Grand Final to win a penalty for the Roar in the dying seconds of the match. Berisha was on the receiving end of the referee-s decision this time however as he picked up two yellow cards in the first 31 minutes.
Glory Interim Head Coach Kenny Lowe believed both sides added to the spectacle and that Brisbane Roar recovered well.
“I think when you play against 10, you think that we-ve got 11 so we should-ve got more but I think when you look at the game they were actually better with 10 that when it was 11 against 11. We had a game plan and when all the players were on the park, every single one of our players were executing their jobs well. We took the game to them, which was a proper game of football where everyone was game on and I thought we were good value.”
From the very start of the game, it was evident that the game was going to be a tough fought encounter and Besart Berisha was in the referee-s book only seconds into the first-half as he brought down Michael Thwaite. Both players reacted angrily and it wouldn-t be the final time that there was a rabble on the pitch.
Thwaite then created the first chance of the match for either side as his looping header almost sneaked under the bar but Roar goalkeeper Michael Theo tipped the ball over for a corner.
Chris Harold created an opportunity for himself only minutes later but his effort from long-range went harmlessly wide.
It took until the 24th minute for Brisbane Roar to trouble Danny Vukovic-s goal as Thomas Broich hit the ball powerfully but his effort went just wide of the post.
One of Glory-s best opportunities of the game fell to Sidnei Sciola after a great passing move from the men in purple but his strike was too central and Theo palmed the ball away from danger.
On the turn of the half-hour mark, Berisha saw red as he once again tangled with Thwaite and there could be few complaints from the Roar as his high challenge was poorly timed.
An on-field raucous ensued which saw Danny Vukovic and former Glory player Liam Miller booked by referee Kris Griffiths-Jones.
It may have been expected that the momentum would completely swing in Glory-s favour but it was another 14 minutes until the Perth side threatened as Theo comfortably dealt with Steven McGarry-s long-range drive.
Brisbane Roar were unfortunate not to take the lead into the dressing room at half-time as Luke Brattan hit a venomous free-kick from distance that clipped the post and went out of play.
Half-time – Perth Glory 0-0 Brisbane Roar
The 2nd half had barely started when Roar-s playmaker Henrique missed a glorious opportunity as he went one on one with Vukovic before blasting the ball over the bar.
It seemed the numerical disadvantage for Brisbane Roar was having the opposite effect as once again they created a dangerous opportunity.
Broich created space for himself in the box from a short corner and smacked the ball inches wide of Vukovic-s right post as the Glory found themselves on the back foot.
Chances were few and far between in the 2nd half and it wasn-t until the 68th minute that substitute Shane Smeltz flicked the ball wide of Theo-s goal after a drilled effort into the box by club captain Jacob Burns.
As the game progressed, the Perth side progressively gained more and more possession but couldn-t find the killer instinct which was needed to break the deadlock.
It wasn-t until stoppage time that Sidnei found himself in some space outside the box but his low drive went wide of the post but there was still one last opportunity for Glory.
A free-kick was awarded just outside the box as Jack Hingert brought down an advancing Smeltz and it was left to young substitute Jack Clisby to hit the set-piece but his effort struck the wall and therefore ended Glory-s hopes of gaining all three points in a tight contest with Brisbane Roar.
Hyundai A-League 2013-2014 Season – Week 15
Perth Glory 0-0 Brisbane Roar
Nib Stadium
Friday 17th January
Attendance: 11,026
Referee: Kris Griffiths-Jones
Perth Glory: 1.Daniel VUKOVIC (GK), 7.Jacob BURNS, 11.Adrian ZAHRA, 14.Steven McGARRY, 15.Isaka CERNAK (9.Shane SMELTZ 56-), 16.Sidnei SCIOLA MORAES, 17.Chris HAROLD, 23.Michael THWAITE, 24.Matthew DAVIES (19.Josh RISDON 66-), 25.Riley WOODCOCK, 36.William GALLAS (2.Jack CLISBY 46-)
Subs not used: 39.Luke RADONICH (GK), 6.Cameron EDWARDS
Bookings: 7.Jacob BURNS (26-), 1.Daniel VUKOVIC (33-), 11.Adrian ZAHRA (58-)
Brisbane Roar: 1.Michael THEO, 2.Matthew SMITH (c), 3.Shane STEFANUTTO, 7.Besart BERISHA, 10.HENRIQUE (28.Brandon BORRELLO 83-), 11.Liam MILLER (23.Dimitri PETRATOS 80-), 13.Jade NORTH, 17.Matt McKAY, 18.Luke BRATTAN, 19.Jack HINGERT, 22.Thomas BROICH, 35.Jai INGHAM
Subs not used: 20.Matthew ACTON (gk), 35.Jai INGHAM
Bookings: 7.Besart BERISHA (1-, 31-), 11.Liam MILLER (34-), 13.Jade NORTH (69-), 19.Jack HINGERT (90-)
Thomas Blane
