Sydney earn point against Roar

Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar have played to a hard fought one all draw at the Sydney Football Stadium tonight. The visiting Roar were the dominant side in the first half but a hard working Sydney set them back on their heels before Brisbane finished with a rush.

The Roar took the lead bizarrely in just the seventh minute. Their corner was flicked on by a light blue shirt and the ball looped into the six yard box. From there it was flat footed defending by Sydney. The keeper Necevski didn’t get there and Luke Devere flicked it past him for the early lead.

The Roar should have doubled their advantage almost instantly. Brisbane pressed from the kick off and Keller was caught in possession for Sydney. Murdocca was set up from the resulting surge forward by the Roar, and his strike from just inside the box slid less than inches wide. It was a good strike but he should have hit the target.

It was all Brisbane but they self-destructed in the 33rd minute. Necevski lumped it forward, it was flicked on and the Brisbane defence conspired to let Alex Brosque slip in and lift it over Theoklitos. Somehow, it was one each.

Brisbane nearly grabbed one in extra time when Murdocca burst through onto a through ball but Necevski made a great one on one save to keep it level at the break.

It had been all Brisbane but beyond Murdocca’s two clear cut chances they’d not been consistently dangerous enough in the final third. Sydney had been poor for the first half hour but a gift from Brisbane let them back into the game and they were much improved after their goal.

Postecoglou went to his bench at half time and Barbarouses was brought on for Mitch Nichols to try and spark things in the final third.

Sydney nearly went ahead in the first minute. Theoklitos couldn’t hold a shot but Cazarine was too slow to react.

Sydney continued their improvement from the end of the first half and the momentum was definitely shifting towards the home side.

Ange Postecoglou went to the bench again with twenty to go and Solorzano came on for Heinaldo. His first substitution Barbarouses had been a lively replacement.

Sydney boss Lavicka followed suit and Young Socceroo Kofi Danning came on for Gant. His side had showed impressive energy in the second half to wrest control of the game away from Brisbane, but the Roar were finishing strongly.

Broich came alive in the last fifteen for Brisbane and was finally starting to look a real menance. He had a good shot blocked then Franyic had a header just clip the top of the crossbar. With only five to go Barbourouses got to the byline brilliantly to put the ball on a ball on a platter for Matt McKay to grab the winner, but he somehow put it over from just yards out. The Roar finished with a flurry of corners and half chances, but it finished all square.

Sydney probably deserved their hard fought point on their much improved second half performance, but Brisbane will feel it was two points lost with the chances they had.