Young Roar suffered a last gasp 3-2 defeat at the hands Brisbane City in NPL Queensland Round 12 action at Nudgee Recreation Reserve on Sunday afternoon.
A Masashi Yokoyama brace and Solomon Weldemariam strike secured the points for City against a Roar side who found the back of the net through Ivan Ozzi and Taras Gomulka.
Ozzi opened the scoring in the 27th minute when he nodded home a Quinn MacNicol cross at the back post for what his fifth goal of the 2024 NPL Queensland season.
Ozzi’s effort sees the 20-year-old edge ahead of Rylan Brownlie as the sides top scorer in the league this season.
City levelled the scores just two minutes later through Yokoyama, who rifled an effort into the back of the net from distance.
Former Young Roar forward, Weldemariam put City ahead four minutes into the second half with a cool finish at the back post after Jordie Meacock scuffed effort fell favourably to him.
Brownlie came close to levelling the scores in the 72nd minute when he headed wide on the end of a Ty Cobb cross from deep.
Three minutes later Roar had their equaliser when Brownlie broke free of the City defence and forced Karl Johan Pechter into a fingertip save with his initial effort before Gomulka turned the ball into the empty net at the back post.
George Plusnin kept the scores level with an impressive reflex save to deny a Kye Bolton header from point blank range in the 79th minute.
Cobb forced Pechter into a flying save in the 88th minute when he turned his marker and fired a curling effort towards the bottom corner.
Yokohama popped up with a winner at the death when he beat his defender before blasting an effort into the roof of the net at the near post in the 93rd minute.
Sunday’s defeat leaves Andre Bennett’s side in eighth position on the NPL Queensland ladder with 13 points to their name.
Roar’s U23 side returned to the top of the table with a comprehensive 5-0 win over City thanks to a Zac Fowler brace along with goals from Declan Forbes, Dominic Amaya and Forbes Porter.
Young Roar are back at Nudgee Recreation Reserve next Sunday for a Round 13 match up against Moreton City Excelsior.
MATCH DETAILS
NPL Queensland Men 2024 – Round 12: Brisbane Roar v Brisbane City
Nudgee Recreation Reserve
Sunday, 26 May
Brisbane Roar – 2 (Ivan OZZI 27’, Taras GOMULKA 75’)
Brisbane City – 3 (Masashi YOKOYAMA 29’ 93′, Solomon WELDEMARIAM 49’)
