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Western Sydney Wanderers have made a clean sweep of their
regular season fixtures against Brisbane Roar – defeating the defending
champions for the third time this season in controversial circumstances at
Suncorp Stadium.
The visitors claimed the points with a 2-1 result but Roar players
and fans were left seething after the assistant referee confusingly raised his
flag for offside, then immediately lowered it again.
Shinji Ono was in an offside position from Dino Kresinger’s
nod on, however was ultimately deemed to be in a passive position as Hersi
collected the ball, dribbling into the area before slotting his shot past Theo.
The Brisbane players remonstrated protractedly with referee
Matt Gillett to no avail, with striker Besart Berisha booked for his
protestations, meaning he will be suspended for next week’s fixture.
The afternoon started promising for Roar who opened the
scoring in the 22nd minute when Mitch Nichols took advantage of a
fortuitous deflection in the Wanderers penalty area to steer the ball home from
8 yards.
Mark Bridge levelled terms in the second half with a first
time strike from the top of the arc. Before Hersi controversially sealed the
result for Wanderers shortly after with his third goal of the campaign.
Both sides approached the match positively with playmakers
Thomas Broich and Shinji Ono looking industrious for their respective sides
early. However, despite periods of promising build-up from both sides genuine
scoring chances were few and far between.
Nichols spurned an early half chance for the hosts before the
hosts were gifted the first chance from a poor clearance – Luke Brattan intercepting
and laying the ball for Broich at the top of the area, whose shot went over the
crossbar.
Three minutes later, Halloran teed the ball up for Massimo
Murdocca in a similar position, however the notoriously goal-shy midfielder
made a meal of his shot and it was easily collected by Covic in goal.
The breakthrough came on 22 minutes when Brattan,
replacing the recently departed Erik Paartalu in a defensive midfield role,
bumbled his way past two defenders before being felled by a third. The ball
then fell fortuitously for Nichols who steered it home on the turn.
Buoyed by the goal, Brisbane’s passing game began to
increasingly resemble season’s past as they patiently stalked the Wanderers
area, but the final ball remained elusive.
In the 39th minute, Broich unleashed Nichols down
the left flank with a dinked ball over the top, however the midfielder delayed
his pass for Berisha, allowing Polenz time to quash the danger.
It would prove to be Brisbane’s last chance of the half,
while Wanderers went in to the break without having fired a shot on target.
After the interval, however, the visitors appeared rejuvenated –
Shinji Ono finding himself in space in the 47th minute, but his low shot was
well held by Theo at the near post.
On 52 minutes Labinot Haliti ran on to Michael Beauchamp’s
eagle-eyed early ball, Haliti’s volleyed shot from an acute angle skimming the
crossbar.
The equaliser came on 64 minutes when Polenz stood up Shane
Stefanutto with a stepover then passed to Bridge at the top of the arc – the striker’s
first time shot catching Theo unaware to sneak in low at the near post.
Hersi controversial winner came three minutes later, and briefly
brought Brisbane back to life - the hosts breaking free via Broich in the
centre of the park before midfielder found Halloran to his right, however the
young winger’s fiercely struck shot flew well wide of the target.
For their part, Wanderers continued to threaten, Mateo
Poljak going closer than he had any right to with a 35 yard effort on 73
minutes.
A minute later the uncharacteristicly quiet Mooy popped up
on the left to deliver a neat cross to the unmarked Ono, however the Japanese international
couldn’t get over the ball and his header sailed over the bar.
Brisbane desperately sought a comeback – with Halloran,
Broich and substitute Goerge Lambadaridis all seeing shots charged down in the
final ten minutes – however, as has been the case all season for the hosts, it
never materialised.
The result is the Wanderers third consecutive win, while for
Brisbane it presents as the club’s third consecutive loss.
FINAL:
BRISBANE ROAR - 1 (Mitch NICHOLS 22’)
WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS -2 (Mark BRIDGE 64', Youssef HERSI 67')
Attendance - 11,917 @ Suncorp Stadium
Brisbane Roar: Michael THEO(gk), Shane STEFANUTTO(c),
Matthew JURMAN, Ivan FRANJIC, Besart BERISHA, Massimo MURDOCCA, Ben HALLORAN,
James DONACHIE, Mitch NICHOLS, Luke BRATTAN, Thomas BROICH
(Subs: Julius
DOE, Matthew ACTON (gk), George LAMBADARIDIS, Corey BROWN)
Western Sydney Wanderers: Ante COVIC(gk), Adam D’APUZZO,
Nikolai TOPOR-STANLEY, Michael BEAUCHAMP(c), Jerome POLENZ, Labinot HALITI,
Mateo POLJAK, Aaraon MOOY, Youssef HERSI, Mark BRIDGE, Shinji ONO
(Subs: Shannon
COLE, Dino KRESINGER, Iacopo LA ROCCA, Jerrad TYSON(gk))