Sydney FC’s struggles in the Hyundai A-League have continued as they failed to build on their drought-breaking victory last weekend, held to a 1-1 draw with the Brisbane Roar at the Sydney Football Stadium on Saturday night.
After failing behind to an early Luke De Vere goal, the Sky Blues re-grouped and showed tremendous character to equalise before the break through Alex Brosque.
But the defending champions certainly rode their luck in the second half as the Roar, who have never won against Sydney at the SFS in eight previous meetings, wasted a number of opportunities to secure victory.
The worst of which came just three minutes from time as Roar skipper Matt McKay somehow blasted Kosta Barbarouses’ low cross over the bar from just five metres.
While the home side will be disappointed not to have notched back-to-back wins to get their season back on track, Sydney coach Vitezslav Lavicka conceded the most his team deserved was a draw after being outplayed by the Roar for most of the match.
“Sometimes when you get one point it’s like losing and sometimes it’s like a win,” Lavicka said.
“Tonight I have to say one point for us is lucky because the opponent played better than us.”
“For most of the game the opponent was better than us.”
“But I have to give credit to the Sydney FC boys also because they worked very hard and gave maximum effort for team success and also full credit for opponent.”
It was the Roar that made the better start and they got an early reward through De Vere inside seven minutes.
The Roar central defender used all his strength to outjump both Mark Bridge and goalkeeper Ivan Necevski to the ball and plant his header home from just three metres out from Thomas Broich’s deflected corner kick.
Ange Postecoglou’s side should have increased their lead a minute later as Murdocca shot wide from the edge of the box after being brilliant set-up by Broich.
The visitors controlled the match for long periods against a disjointed Sydney but failed to turn that dominance into goal-scoring chances in the first half.
“It was a frustrating night for us. We didn-t play well in the first half, that’s the most disappointing thing,” Postecoglou said.
“Yeah we scored a goal and had some opportunities but we didn-t play the way I like us to play.”
“The second half we put pressure on them created and created enough opportunities to win the game.
“I’m disappointed in the outcome but I also think we can play better.”
While De Vere was the hero at one end it was his error that allowed Sydney an equaliser 11 minutes before the break.
After Bridge had flicked on Necevski’s long ball forward, De Vere attempted to head the ball back to his own keeper but didn’t get enough on it with Brosque on the spot to poke the ball past Michael Theoklitos.
The goal took Brosque to equal third on the all-time A-League scorers list alongside former Victory striker Danny Allsopp with 36 goals, behind only Archie Thompson (49) and Shane Smeltz (42).
Sydney FC 1 (Brosque 34)
Brisbane Roar 1 (De Vere 7)
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