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Defending A-League Premiers and Champions, Sydney FC started the match opting to retain the 4-5-1 minus the injured Killer Bs, Alex Brosque and Mark Bridge. Kofi Danning got his first start of the season up front as a lone striker.
But it was Brisbane Roar who started the more assured and with great penetration down its right hand side through Henrique who was looking to hit his first goal in twelve matches.
After 16 minutes an unusual free kick provided by match official Chris Beath almost resulted in an own goal being scored by Stephan Keller. The ensuing free kick was bent in by Matt McKay - ex-Brisbane Roar goalkeeper now Sydney custodian, Liam Reddy, moving well to save the ball on the goal line or across the line, as replays hinted may have occurred.
Keller continued to marshal the Sydney troupe well following Simon Colosimo’s departure to Melbourne Heart as a confident Roar outfit started to coordinate well in attack. Early substitute Milan Susak and Thomas Broich combined to release Socceroo Shane Stefanutto at the far post who volleyed over the post on his non-preferred right peg on 24 minutes.
Four minutes later Brisbane’s ball playing midfielders began to apply sustained pressure to the Sydney defence as Hayden Foxe looked, not for the first time this season, a little slow at centre of defence. The Roar’s two young midfield tyros Kosta Babarbouses and Mitch Nichols united to open up the Sydney defence. But the resulting shot from Nichols could have made Reddy work a little harder.
Brisbane continued to press in the second half and despite the best efforts of marquee man Nick Carle to spark some enterprise for Sydney FC in behind Kofi Danning, it was Henrique, Thomas Broich and finally Matt McKay who finally punched a hole in their rivals from south of the border. A well taken chance away to Reddy’s left from his weaker left foot made it one-nil barely ten minutes after half.
Sydney FC nearly answered back immediately when a Rhyan Grant header from the first of a few nicely bent Scott Jamieson crosses, nearly curved into Michael Theoklitos’s top right hand corner - instead skimming away off the cross bar in the 56th minute.
But it did nothing to dent wave after wave of Brisbane attacks on Sydney’s goal. The Den ably assisting a willing Henrique to twin attempts on goal approaching the hour mark after a pair of mazy runs to create space.
In the 76th a Brisbane corner was floated in and untidy work by Reddy and a panicked Sydney defence failed to clear. The ball fell to an open Kosta Barbarouses who, with a gaping goal, shot straight into the bread basket of Reddy.
Sydney FC coach Viteszlav Lavicka withdrew Carle in the 77th minute and handed an A-League debut to Texan born Japanese Hirofumi Moriyasu. Ange Postecoglou can begin to feel quite pleased with his efforts in rebuilding the Brisbane Roar squad inherited from Frank Farina. One – nil it finished at Suncorp with the healthy crowd sure to return next week for the Friday night home clash with the in-form Wellington Phoenix.
The Roar can take good confidence in the dynamism of their midfield - which is effectively run by centre-half Erik Paartalu. He may well play his way this season into the same sort of form that Mile Jedinak built up in his final days at Central Coast Mariners, prior to his move to Genclerbirligi in Turkey. The Estonian born Australian anchor towers above and performs with indefatigable strength and stamina, rarely giving up possession and with some very classy touches.
Sydney FC will be looking for their first win of the season when they take on Graham Arnold’s Central Coast Mariners next Saturday night at 730pm at Moore Park Road.