Brisbane Roar finished their 2024/25 Isuzu UTE A-League campaign with a 2-1 win over Central Coast Mariners in Round 29 action at Industree Group Stadium on Friday night.
A Sam Klein brace sealed a come from behind win against a Mariners side who opened the scoring through Arthur De Lima as Roar finished the season on a four match unbeaten run.
De Lima opened the scoring in the third minute with the game’s first shot on goal when he fired a booming header into the roof of the net on the end of a Bailey Brandtman cross.
Klein restored parity in the 17th minute when he rose highest to meet an Antonee Burke-Gilroy corner and send a glancing header into the bottom corner.
Abubakar had a big chance to get his name on the scoresheet in the 29th minute when he broke free inside the area after being played through by Florin Berenguer only to be denied one-on-one by Dylan Periac-Cullen.
In the next few minutes it was Matt Acton coming up big at the other end to deny Mikael Doka and Haine Eames with some strong saves.
Klein made it a brace with what proved to be the matchwinner five minutes into the second half when he headed home from a Henry Hore corner for what was his fifth of the season.
Klein’s final day double sees the 21-year-old finish as the sides top scorer in his first full A-League campaign.
The Roar defence held firm to keep out the home side for the remainder of the match with Haine Eames coming closest for the visitors when he rattled the woodwork with a strike from range in the 82nd minute.
At the other end it was Henry Hore who came closest to adding to Roar’s margin of victory when he forced Periac-Cullen into a big save with a strike from the top of the box in the 72nd minute.
Roar finish the Isuzu UTE A-League season in 12th place meaning they’ll face either the Mariners or Wellington Phoenix in a Hahn Australia Cup Final Rounds Play Off at Darwin Football Stadium on Wednesday, May 14.
MATCH DETAILS
Isuzu UTE A-League Men 2024/25 – Round 29: Central Coast Mariners v Brisbane Roar
Industree Group Stadium, Gosford
Friday, 2 May
Central Coast Mariners – 1 (Arthur DE LIMA 3’)
Brisbane Roar – 2 (Sam KLEIN 17’ 50’)
