Thirty without loss for Brisbane Roar

The view from Pete Nowakowski's seat

The buzz was truly felt outside the SFS for Sydney FC's first home game of the season. Whilst members new and old collected their membership packs 15,789 made their way through the gates to witness Brett Emerton's official return to Sydney. With Hyundai A-League giants Brisbane Roar hoping to go undefeated in thirty A-League matches, would the occasion live up to expectation?

The media certainly thought it would. There were so many photographers present at the game that the stadium ran out of bibs, forcing some into the grandstands to ply their trade behind the fence.

Unsurprisingly the first moment of action was a Terry McFlynn yellow card. He went into the book in the 12th minute for a foul on Johnny Warren Medal runner up Thomas Broich for a tackle in which he appeared to have got the ball.

The first attempt on either goal came from a Brisbane Roar corner in the 17th minute, Erik Paartalu heading the ball on target but denied by Sydney 'keeper Liam Reddy.

Terry Antonis had Sydney's opening chance on goal after a quick one two with Nick Carle to get him into the box. Attempting to chip the 'keeper Antonis' shot was well saved by Michael Theoklitos in the 26th.

Paartalu got a shot off just outside the box in the 43rd minute which Reddy failed to deal with, spilling the ball to his left. It fell to Besart Berisha who had the easiest of tasks, slamming it in to give the Roar a 1-0 lead at the end of the first half.

Sydney came firing out of the blocks after the break with Carle clear on goal with only the 'keeper to beat. But beat him he didn't, and Sydney were to remain goalless for the game.

With the #HALsydbri Twitter hashtag trending nicely (4th in Australia), the game disintegrated slightly, Roar happy win their one goal lead and the occasional attacking play whilst Sydney struggled to find any sense of rhythm.

In the 66th minute former Sky Blue fringe player Kofi Danning made his return to the SFS to boos from the Sydney faithful. The substitute, hugging the right flank, created Roar's second goal, cutting a pass across the face of goal and finding Broich who powered home from the top of the 18 yard box.

Brisbane Roar won 2-0 thanks to the 72nd minute strike, ultimately dominating Sydney across all areas of the park.

Sydney FC: REDDY, COYNE BOSSCAHART, BEAUCHAMP, EMERTON, KISEL, CAZARINE, CARLE, MCFLYNN (C), ANTONIS, JAMIESON
Substitutes: RYALL, GRANT, PETRATOS, NECEVSKI (GK)
Brisbane Roar: THEOKLITOS, SMITH (C), STEFANUTTO, JURMAN, FRANJIC, PAARTALU, BERISHA, NAKAJIMA-FARRAN, NICHOLS, MEYER, BROICH
Substitutes: MURDOCCA, DANNING, ADNAN, REDMAYNE (GK)

The Football Sack 'Player of the Year Award' points
3 Erik Paartalu
2 Thomas Broich
1 Kofi Danning