Young Roar and Gold Coast United have shared the points in a 1-1 draw in NPL Queensland Round 10 action at Nudgee Recreation Reserve on Sunday afternoon.
The two sides couldn’t be split after trading goals through Chris Lucas and Ivan Ozzi in a tightly fought affair.
United started strongly and rattled the woodwork in the 8th minute when Lucas cut in from the right and rifled an effort against the crossbar.
Roar’s best chance of the opening exchanges fell to Ty Cobb, who fired high and wide from a tight angle in the 13th minute before Ozzi sent a header wide at the back post on the end of a Jack Benham cross from deep moments later.
Cobb then found Ozzi with a cross in the 31st minute only for the forward to have his header cleared off the line by the visitors defence.
Lucas put United ahead in the 36th minute from the penalty spot after Zahi Addis was brought down by Andrew McLeod inside the area.
Ozzi levelled the scores in the 66th minute when he rose high at the back post to send a pinpoint James Murphy cross from the left crashing into the back of the net with a powerful header.
Ozzi’s equaliser leaves him level with Rylan Brownlie on four goals as Young Roar’s leading scorers in the NPL this season.
The forward then had a big opportunity to double his tally for the afternoon and put Roar in front when he got in behind the defence in the 81st minute but was denied one-on-one by Carlos Saliaderre.
Moments later United had a chance of their own to grab the go-ahead goal with substitute, Cai Tipaldo firing wide on the turn at the near post.
Brownlie gave the visitors defence a scare in the 84th minute when he got a toe in to dispossess, Saliaderre but the United skipper reacted quickly to block efforts from Brownlie & MacNicol in quick succession.
United were reduced to ten men in the 89th minute when midfielder, Daniel Dias received his second caution of the contest for a challenge on McLeod.
The visitors looked to have snatched a winner in the 94th minute when a Lucas free-kick crept into the back of the net at the near post, however the goal was ruled out with the linesman’s flag up for offside.
Sunday’s 1-1 draw leaves Young Roar in seventh position on the NPL Queensland ladder with 13 points to their name after ten rounds of action.
The U23’s prevailed 3-1 over United thanks to goals from Tuquiri Beckett, Kade McDougall and Zac Fowler.
Focus for Young Roar now shifts to next Sunday’s trip to the Sunshine Coast to face the Wanderers at Ballinger Park as they hit the half way point of the 2024 NPL Queensland season.
MATCH DETAILS
NPL Queensland 2024 – Round 10: Brisbane Roar v Gold Coast United
Nudgee Recreation Reserve
Sunday, 12 May
Brisbane Roar – (Ivan OZZI 66′)
Gold Coast United – 1 (Chris LUCAS 36′)
