Central Coast Mariners 0-1 Brisbane Roar: A late goal returns Brisbane to the top of the table
It was billed as the game of the round as the Champions from the two previous years went head to head in Gosford. However, in reality, neither team was at their best. The Mariners were missing vice-captain Michael McGlinchey and defender Storm Roux due to international duty, though Golden Boot Daniel McBreen was expected to make a big impact in his first game back from China. Meanwhile, Brisbane had Besart Berisha, Liam Miller, Jade North, and Shane Stefanutto all on the medical table. This resulted in backup players coming under the spotlight for both teams, which perhaps added energy to the game at the expense of finesse.
And an energetic start it was, with Brisbane captain Matt Smith down hurt within the first minute. He got up soon enough, and the game took shape. Both teams attempted aerial ping-pong early on, with the home side proving more successful at it than the visitors. One of these long balls from the Mariners resulted in a penalty shot when a cross hit the arm of Roar defender James Donachie inside the box. The sideline referee had his flag half-raised before Ben Williams waved him off, making Mariners coach Graham Arnold absolutely livid, who, in true Arnold style, vented his frustrations at the refereeing team until full time.
The match then settled after about 15 minutes, with the Mariners happy to sit deep and the Roar content to pass and probe. When Central Coast did go on the offensive it was usually through playmaker Marcos Flores, who had a constant influence on the game until he was curiously subbed off in the 77th minute; for Brisbane, Ivan Franjic was allowed more creativity than usual, with marquee man Thomas Broich sticking to the left flank.
A weaker penalty shout for the Roar in the 37th minute was the beginning of some late Brisbane dominance, with a curling shot from Henrique parried away by Liam Reddy, and Matt McKay’s shot minutes later narrowly rolling past the post. However, Central Coast should have led at half time through Mitch Duke, who barrelled his one-on-one shot straight into Roar gloveman Michael Theo. Both teams went into the sheds feeling like they could have done better; Central Coast hadn’t taken advantage of their chances, while Brisbane needed to use more of their 62% possession in the final third.
The second half begun with the brass band in the home end inspiring their team to gallantry with a rendition of the Game of Thrones theme song. Unfortunately, it only inspired both teams to a heavy touch. The half began pacey, but polish on the ball was lacking. Stand-in defenders Marcel Seip (Mariners) and James Donachie (Roar) proved their worth as both sides scrambled for the opener. Nick Fitzgerald then collected the first yellow card of the game for delaying a free kick, and this seemed to scare the players back into their shells.
The game once again became a tense battle between the short-passing Roar and the deep-sitting Mariners. Brisbane hit their straps around the 60th minute, with Liam Reddy denying a string of Roar chances. However, one man couldn’t keep the goals out forever, and super sub Kwame Yeboah found the net with a spectacular strike seconds after coming on for Henrique in the 89th minute.
The Mariners sorely missed Roux at the back, though Reddy’s performance would have merited man of the match had it been a draw, and will make Arnold’s decision between Pasfield and Reddy even harder. However, what should cause the Mariners more concern is their lack of chance creation.
They played like a team that was afraid to lose; for most of the game they had 8 players sitting deep in defence. While this stifled the Brisbane Roar passing game, it also stifled any chance of creating a goal. Admittedly, the Mariners counter-attack was good, but the reigning champions really should be playing to win – especially at home. The Roar were content to keep prodding all game – they had 458 completed passes to the Mariners’ 252. Brisbane also topped the game in shots on target – 6 to 2. However, the Mariners must be commended for their strong defence with the key absences in mind, and their counter attack showed great promise. If they can work on creating and finishing chances, they’re a good chance of taking all three points against Wellington in Sydney next week.
For Brisbane, it was another day in the office, and back to the top of the table. However, they did look fragile at times, and they’re stretched very thin personnel-wise. However, it only gets harder next week, with Ivan Franjic and Matt McKay playing for the Socceroos. If they can get Shane Stefanutto and Besart Berisha back into the squad it should be a comfortable trip down to Newcastle for the Roar next week. If not, the young guard will have to prove themselves once again.
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