Brisbane Roar have upset Adelaide United's four-game winning streak by holding them to a 1-1 draw at Suncorp Stadium. In an entertaining contest, the Reds took the lead in the 27th minute through Mathew Leckie before Brisbane promptly responded thanks to a Thomas Broich free-kick to give his side a share of the spoils.
A-League Week 7Brisbane Roar: 1 (Thomas Broich 34') Adelaide United: 1 (Mathew Leckie 27')
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Crowd: approx. 8,000 Referee: Ben Williams Yellow cards:BR - Erik Paartalu 53' AU - Iain Fyfe 80', Cassio 86', 88', Eugene Galekovic 88' Red cards:AU - Cassio 88'
The much-anticipated clash was an enthralling contest early with both sides making their intentions clear from an attacking point of view.
Brisbane were taking it right up to the in-form side in the competition, who for once were being the hunted and not the hunter, but Adelaide were holding their own and managed to take the lead in the 27th minute through Mathew Leckie. GOAL The young gun took control of the ball in midfield before working his way towards the area and letting fly with a left-footed shot which beat Roar keeper Michael Theoklitos to make it 1-0.
However, seven minutes later, the Roar were back on level terms when German import Thomas Broich finally grabbed his first A-LeagueGOAL. His free-kick from the left flank whizzed past the dense group of players in the area and past an uncertain Eugene Galekovic to make it 1-1 in the 34th minute.
Despite both sides conceding first-half goals, the match continued to excite with a constant end-to-end play occurring but there were to be no more goals as the opening stanza ended with the score tied.
Brisbane were slightly on top in the opening 20 minutes of the second half with the likes of Broich and Matt McKay performing well in midfield and trying their luck from long range but the Reds were looking more free-flowing in attack.
That free-wheeling style almost got them back in front in the 78th minute when Marcos Flores managed to cut back for Sergio van Dijk who produced the 'miss' of the season from right in front of the goalmouth with Theoklitos stranded but also thankful for the Dutchman's inefficiency.
The Roar pushed hard for a winner late on in the piece but it wasn't to be as Adelaide kept their unbeaten start to the season intact and managed to remain on top of the table.
Starting Line-Ups
BR Michael Theoklitos (gk), Matthew Smith, Shane Stefanutto, Erik Paartalu, Massimo Murdocca (Visconte 82'), Jean Carlo Solorzano (Barbarouses 64'), Reinaldo, Matt Mundy, Matt McKay, Thomas Broich, Milan Susak
Subs - Matt Acton (gk), Kosta Barbarouses (64'), Rocky Visconte (82'), James Meyer
AUEugene Galekovic (gk), Robert Cornthwaite, Iain Fyfe, Cassio, Lucas Pantelis (Ramsay 56'), Adam Hughes, Sergio van Dijk (Keenan 86'), Marcos Flores (Shin 90'), Paul Reid, Mathew Leckie, Cameron Watson
Subs - Mark Birighitti (gk), Joe Keenan (86'), Inseob Shin (90'), Iain Ramsay (56')
