Brisbane Roar’s undefeated run at home this season has remained intact following an entertaining 1-1 draw with Hyundai A-League leaders Adelaide United.
After their defeat at the hands of Melbourne Victory last weekend, the Roar took the field eager to make an impact in front of their home crowd.
Both teams rattled the woodwork early on, the first chance of the game falling to Adelaide United-s Adam Hughes in the sixth minute.
Finding rare space in the midfield, Hughes took a chance from long range, his impressive effort soaring over Michael Theoklitos in the Roar goal and hitting the crossbar.
Two minutes later, Reinaldo had an opportunity to put the home side ahead.
A deflection from a chip from Erik Paartalu saw the ball fall to Reinado-s feet, but
Adelaide ‘keeper Eugene Galekovic-s touch was enough to make the shot bounce off the woodwork to keep the game goalless.
The game was producing end-to-end football, and at the other end of the park, Adelaide playmaker Flores had a short-range strike met with a diving save from Theoklitos and Brisbane defender Matt Mundy was quick to clear the danger.
With the Roar displaying some promising football, they were unlucky to fall behind in the 27th minute, after Adelaide-s rising star Mathew Leckie found the back of the net from the edge of the box.
Leckie cut inside a Roar defender and sent a shot past Theoklitos, the first goal that Brisbane have conceded at Suncorp Stadium this season.
Showing the strength and determination that have made them hard to beat this season, the Roar continued to push and had an equaliser just six minutes later when German import Thomas Broich scored his first goal for the club.
After winning a free kick about 25 yards out from goal, Broich delivered a swinging ball that eluded the Adelaide defence and bounced into the back of the net to draw the sides level.
Broich almost had another early in the second half, his foot perfectly connecting with a cross from teammate Shane Stefanutto to send a controlled volley goal wards but Galekovic was alert to the danger.
Former Roar striker Sergio van Dijk, returning to his old stomping ground for the first time since signing for Adelaide, almost managed to put one past his former club with a header flying just wide of the post on the hour mark.
Van Dijk went close again minutes later, pouncing on a loose ball in the six yard box, but towering Theoklitos was up to the challenge, forcefully palming the ball away.
Spurred on by his earlier effort, Brisbane-s goalscorer Broich kept attacking the Adelaide goal, hitting a number of long range shots on target.
His best opportunity came 15 minutes from the final whistle with a powerful, curling shot that was marginally wide of the Adelaide goal.
Van Dijk was still getting involved and missed the best chance of the game when he failed to take advantage of an almost open goal from two metres out just five minutes later.
Despite plenty of chances and a magnitude of shots in the closing stages, both sides were unable to find the decisive goal that would see them take the three points.
Not completely happy with his side-s first half performance, Brisbane coach Ange Postecoglou said he was pleased with the way his side picked up the pace later in the match.
“It was a game of two halves to throw in a cliché there,” he said.
“I was really disappointed with the way in the first half we gave them too much room.
“To the boys- credit in the second half I thought they did really well and we put them under more pressure and didn-t allow them to have too much possession and looked dangerous going forward.”
Postecoglou admitted the draw was a reasonable outcome, given the efforts of both teams.
“They had one glaring miss, but I think on the balance of things, a point is probably fair,” he said.
Brisbane Roar 1 (Broich 33-)
Adelaide United (Leckie 27-)
Saturday, 18 September 2010
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Local kick-off: 7.30pm
Referee: Ben Williams
Crowd: 7,080
Brisbane Roar line-up: 1. Michael THEOKLITOS (gk), 2. Matt SMITH, 4. Shane STEFANUTTO, 6. Erik PAARTALU, 8. Massimo MURDOCCA (14. Rocky VICSCONTE 82-), 9. Jean Carlos SOLORZANO (7. Kosta BARBAROUSES 64-), 11. REINALDO, 12. Matt MUNDY, 15. Matt McKAY (c), 22. Thomas BROICH, 23. Milan SUSAK
Substitutes Not Used: 21. James MEYER, 30. Matt ACTON (gk)
Yellow Cards: Erik PAARTALU 53-
Red Cards: Nil
Adelaide United line-up: 1.Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk), 2.Robert CORNTHWAITE, 4.Iain FYFE, 6.CASSIO, 7.Lucas PANTELIS (c) (17.Iain RAMSAY 57-), 8.Adam HUGHES, 9.Sergio VAN DIJK (26.Joe KEENAN 86-), 10.Marcos FLORES (16.Inseob SHIN 90-), 12.Paul REID, 19.Mathew LECKIE, 24.Cameron WATSON
Substitutes Not Used: 20.Mark BIRIGHITTI (gk)
Yellow Cards: CASSIO 53-, 88-, Iain FYFE 80-, Eugene GALEKOVIC 88-
Red Cards: CASSIO 88-
