Perth Glory’s three match undefeated run is over after a narrow 2-1 loss to Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium in round four of the Hyundai A-League.
The game began in cagey fashion, but it was the home side who would open the scoring. In the 31st minute, Corey Brown drove in a pinpoint low cross to Jamie Maclaren, who tapped home under the charging Liam Reddy to put Roar ahead.
Glory captain Rostyn Griffiths was forced from the field with injury not long after. Griffiths was involved in a fair tussle for the ball with Brett Holman in which the captain broke a tooth and was substituted minutes later.
After half time, Glory came out the stronger team and soon found an equaliser. Nine minutes into the second half, Diego Castro and Rhys Williams combined well to tee up Serbian midfielder Nebojsa Marinkovic on the edge of the box. ‘Nebo’ made no mistake from distance, curling his low shot past a diving Michael Theo into the bottom corner.
Both teams fought for the winner but it would be Brisbane who claimed the three points in the 75th minute. Brandon Borrello received the ball off a quickly taken throw-in, driving through the Glory defence with a lung-bursting run and slamming his shot across Liam Reddy into the far bottom corner.
A tough result for Glory which ends its undefeated run in the Hyundai A-League following two wins and a draw.
Perth Glory will be set to rally next week against Western Sydney Wanderers at nib Stadium in a double header with our Women’s team.
Kick off is at 4pm for the Hyundai A-League side and 6:40pm for the Westfield W-League girls. Make sure you’re there, purchase your tickets here: http://bit.ly/2eq8UTI
Match Details
Brisbane Roar 2 (Maclaren 31’, Borrello 75’)
Perth Glory 1 (Marinkovic 54’)
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Attendance: 13,428
Weather: 26, mostly sunny
Referee: Jonathan Barreiro
Assistants: Nathan MacDonald & Andrew Lindsay
Fourth Official: Alex King
Key Moments
First Half
6’ Brown cuts back a cross to Thomas Kristensen at the top of the box, his low shot deflects off Marc Warren and is blocked by Alexander Grant on the line, who subsequently clears the danger.
16’ Maclaren’s driving run into the box is thwarted by Dino Djulbic, the loose ball then curled over the cross bar by Thomas Broich.
21’ Matt McKay slams a low shot from 20 metres out, it fizzes comfortably wide of Reddy’s far post.
28’ Andy Keogh’s cross is headed away by the Roar defence only as far as Williams, whose thunderous volley travels wide of Theo’s near post.
29’ Broich fires a low shot from over 25 metres out, it skids well wide of Reddy’s near post.
31’ 1-0 Brisbane, Maclaren scores. Brown whips in a curled cross from the left hand side, Maclaren paces through to tap in from the top of the six-yard-box.
35’ Chris Harold tries a long shot from 30 metres out, but its well over Theo’s crossbar.
44’ Tommy Oar shoots from distance after a rehearsed free kick move from Brisbane, his shot goes well wide of the target.
45+2’ Oar cuts inside on the right wing and rifles a shot well wide of Reddy’s near post.
Second Half
54’ 1-1, Marinkovic scores. Diego Castro finds Williams on the edge of the box, who tees up for Marinkovic to hit a first time, low curling shot inside Theo’s far post.
72’ Borrello strikes from the edge of the box, Djulbic lunges in to block the shot.
75’ 2-1, Borrello scores. The young striker picks up the ball from a throw-in and drives through the Glory lines, firing a strike across Reddy into the inside side netting of the far post.
80’ Castro is found by a long ball, he heads down for Keogh to volley but his strike sails over the crossbar.
81’ Maclaren chips a cross to an open Borrello in the box, but the striker blasts his volley narrowly over the crossbar.
83’ Roar find Maclaren on the right side of the 18-yard-box, he shoots on the turn but his shot dribbles wide of Reddy’s near post.
88’ Warren strikes from distance but his shot goes high and wide of the mark.
SQUADS
Brisbane Roar: 1. Michael THEO (GK), 3. Luke DEVERE, 5. Corey BROWN, 7. Thomas KRISTENSEN, 9. Jamie MACLAREN (33. Joey KATEBIAN 90’), 10. Brett HOLMAN (28. Brandon BORRELLO 67’), 11. Tommy OAR, 13. Jade NORTH, 17. Matt MCKAY, 19. Jack HINGERT, 22. Thomas BROICH
Subs not used: 4. Daniel BOWLES, 8. Jacob PEPPER, 21. Jamie YOUNG (GK)
Yellow Cards: Jade NORTH (59’), Thomas KRISTENSEN (72’)
Red Cards: nil
Perth Glory FC: 2. Alexander GRANT, 3. Marc WARREN, 5. Rhys WILLIAMS (24. Milan SMILJANIC 73’), 6. Dino DJULBIC, 8. Rostyn GRIFFITHS (C – 15. Brandon Wilson 26’), 9. Andy KEOGH, 10. Nebojsa MARINKOVIC, 14. Chris HAROLD (7. Joel CHIANESE 80’), 17. Diego CASTRO, 19. Joshua RISDON, 33. Liam REDDY (GK)
Subs not used: 13. Nicholas FEELY (GK), 16. Joseph MILLS
Yellow Cards: Rhys WILLIAMS (32’), Brandon WILSON (77’)
Red Cards: nil
#BRIvPER #GloryIsOurs
