Brisbane Roar has started 2020 in the best way possible with a first away win of the Hyundai A-League season at Bankwest Stadium on Wednesday night.
The Roar were forced to come from behind following an early goal to Mitch Duke before the Roar controlled the majority of the remainder of the contest, reaping the benefits will goals from Scott Neville & Bradden Inman either side of half-time.
Neville rose highest from a corner to score his second goal of the season, in almost identical fashion to his first, which saw Robbie Fowler’s men level at the break before a second goal in a week for Inman proved decisive.
The attacker combined neatly with 19-year-old Mirza Muratovic with the teenager laying off for Inman to strike a rocket of a shot into the bottom of the corner shortly after the hour mark.
“I just backed myself. I’ve got a good understanding with Mirza [Muratovic], I hit it cleanly & thankfully it went in,” Inman said post-match.
We know we’ve been playing well without the results. A draw & a win this week – we’ll look to carry on this good form now.”
The result was Head Coach Robbie Fowler’s first win on the road at the helm – a result the boss says continued dominant performances indicated was a long-time coming.
“I think we deserved that tonight. It’s been coming, our performance was very good today,” Fowler said.
“It was one of the best results we’ve had. it’s been a while since Brisbane Roar won away – to do it in a place like this is huge for us. The lads dug in, defended really well and we had some outstanding performances.
“The character & the attitude was spot on. Now we have to give ourselves a challenge to go out & do that on a more consistent basis.”
The Roar have a ten-day break before the next fixture – the first of back-to-back home matches at Suncorp Stadium against Melbourne City on Saturday, 11 January (4:00pm KO). Get your tickets here.
GOALS
Western Sydney Wanderers – Duke 5′ – 1-0
Mitch Duke is found at the goal mouth & slides a shot into the bottom corner to open the scoring.
Brisbane Roar – Neville 20′ 1-1
Scott Neville rises highest from the corner, stealing in unmarked before converting with a thumping header.
Brisbane Roar – Inman 62′ – 1-2
Inman & Muratovic combine neatly before Inman fires a rocket into the bottom right corner from the edge of the area.
MATCH DETAILS
Hyundai A-League 2019/20 – Round 13: Western Sydney Wanderers v Brisbane Roar
Bankwest Stadium, Parramatta
Wednesday, 1 January
Western Sydney Wanderers 1 (Duke 5′)
Brisbane Roar 2 (Neville 20′, Inman 62′)
Half-time: 1-1
