Brisbane Roar opened their 2023/24 Isuzu UTE A-League Men’s campaign with a 1-1 draw on the road against Macarthur at Campbelltown Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Jay O’Shea’s second half free-kick cancelled out Raphael Borges Rodrigues’ opener as both sides were forced to settle for a share of the spoils.
Roar started strongly with their high pressing, possession-based brand of football creating early opportunities for Henry Hore and Louis Zabala, with the latter seeing his deflected 30th minute strike bounce back off the woodwork.
At the other end Macklin Freke produced a string of fine saves to deny Macarthur, who would’ve also considered themselves unlucky to head into the break without a goal.
The home side drew first blood in the 52nd minute when Borges Rodrigues nodded home a Clayton Lewis cross at the back post.
In his search for an equaliser Ross Aloisi turned to 16-year-old attacker, Rylan Brownlie who follows in the footsteps of his father Royce to become the club’s first ever A-League father-son duo.
Alongside Brownlie, off season recruits Florin Berenguer, Joe Caletti, Jonas Markovski, Alex Parsons and Aaron Reardon all played a part in Saturday’s match.
O’Shea opened Roar’s goalscoring account for the new season in the 73rd minute when his looping free-kick from an unlikely angle evaded everyone and found it’s way into the back of the net to level the scores.
From there both sides pushed hard for a winner with Freke providing the most eye catching moment of the closing exchanges with his flying fingertip save denying Ali Auglah at the death.
Full focus now shifts to the Roars return to Suncorp Stadium against Sydney FC next Friday night. Get your tickets HERE
MATCH DETAILS
Isuzu UTE A-League Men 2023/24 – Round 1: Macarthur FC v Brisbane Roar
Campbelltown Sports Stadium
Saturday, 21 Month October
Macarthur FC – 1 (Raphael BORGES RODRIGUES 52’)
Brisbane Roar – 1 (Jay O’SHEA 73’)
