A debut goal from Devante Clut and Luke Brattan’s late long-range strike has given Brisbane Roar an important come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Wellington Phoenix at Suncorp Stadium.
A debut goal from Devante Clut and Luke Brattan-s late long-range strike has given Brisbane Roar an important come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Wellington Phoenix at Suncorp Stadium.
After falling behind to Stein Huysegems- 35th minute tap-in, the Roar reacted with two moments of individual brilliance amongst a strong second-half team performance.
Clut, given his Hyundai A-League debut by Head Coach Mike Mulvey, was confident from kick-off and even tested Wellington shotstopper Glen Moss with a left-footed effort inside five minutes.
Vince Lia hit the woodwork for the visitors before Huysegems broke the deadlock just after the half-hour mark, slotting home from close range as Jeremy Brockie played the ball across diagonally across the penalty area.
Brisbane came out with intent after the half-time break and had a deserved equaliser when Henrique found Clut, who unleashed a sweet half-volley past Moss in the 50th minute, to make his first Hyundai A-League appearance one to remember.
Mike Mulvey-s side kept pushing and Dimitri Petratos put the ball in the back of the net 20 minutes later but his rebounded effort from Diogo Ferreira-s shot was deemed offside by the assistant referee on the far side.
Finally, the Roar had just rewards three minutes from full time as Luke Brattan struck home a thunderbolt from 30 metres to hand his team all three points.
Brisbane Roar is now eight points clear at the top of the Hyundai A-League ladder having played the same amount of matches (16) as second-placed Western Sydney Wanderers.
Brisbane Roar 2 (Devante CLUT 50-, Luke BRATTAN 87-)
Wellington Phoenix 1 (Stein HUYSEGEMS 35-)
Friday, 24 January 2014
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Kick-off: 7pm
Referee: Chris Beath
Crowd: 13,889
Brisbane Roar: 1. Michael THEO (gk), 2. Matthew SMITH (c), 3. Shane STEFANUTTO, 10. HENRIQUE, 13. Jade NORTH, 14. Diogo FERREIRA, 18. Luke BRATTAN, 19. Jack HINGERT (15. James DONACHIE 65-), 22. Thomas BROICH, 23. Dimitri PETRATOS, 27. Devante CLUT (35. Jai INGHAM 72-)
Substitutes not used:, 20. Matthew ACTON (gk), 26. Corey BROWN, 28. Brandon BORRELLO, Yellow cards:Diogo FERREIRA 41-, Thomas BROICH 51-
Red cards:Nil
Wellington Phoenix: 1. Glen MOSS (gk), 2. Emmanuel MUSCAT, 5. Michael BOXALL, 10. Stein HUYSEGEMS, 11. Jeremy BROCKIE (24. Roy KRISHNA 68-)E, 12. Tyler BOYD (7. Leo BERTOS 46-), 13. Albert REIRA, 15. Jason HICKS (3. Reece CAIRA 78-), 17. Vince LIA, 18. Benjamin SIGMUND, 22. Andrew DURANTE (c)
Substitutes not used: 14. Alex RUFER, 20. Lewis ITALIANO (gk)
Yellow cards: Leo BERTOS 57-
Red cards:Nil
