Besart Berisha has claimed a first-half hat-trick in six minutes and four for the match as Brisbane flexed their might with a 7-1 punishing of Adelaide United at Suncorp Stadium.
Besart Berisha has claimed a first-half hat-trick in six minutes and four for the match as Brisbane flexed their might with a 7-1 punishing of Adelaide United at Suncorp Stadium.
The Albanian International’s first-half hat-trick was bookended by a pair of smooth penalty conversions from Brazilian livewire Henrique, as the defending champions responded with venom after conceding their first goal of the season in the fifth minute.
Brisbane were exceptional right across the park with the usual suspects in full flight, but besides Berisha’s incredible performance, Mitch Nichols stood out with masterful passing and substitute Issey Nakajima-Farran razor sharp, claiming an assist and an 80th minute goal in his short cameo.
Brisbane’s two second-half goals were the icing on the cake after a breathtaking five goals in 15 minutes.
Nichols had a long range dig in the 87th minute which rattled the post, leaving the Roar one short of Adelaide’s Hyundai A-League record 8-1 win over North Queensland.
United’s night started with so much promise, as goal-shark Dario Vidosic took a clever back-heel pass from attacker Sergio van Dijk and fired past Theoklitos with a raking long-range right foot.
But the start of the end began for Adelaide in the 21st minute when skipper Jonathan McKain hacked Nichols inside the area and Henrique converted his first penalty.
The next goal came in the finest of Roar fashion, with a slick, fast-passing build-up bringing the ball to Broich in centre field, then to Stefanutto haring down the flank, who whipped a low cross in for Berisha to hammer home.
Brisbane had gone from trailing to the lead in a blink of an eye and were nowhere near finished.
Running on a high, Nichols spotted Berisha on the lead and somehow threaded the pass into the area for an exceptional goal assist.
Berisha wasted no time completing the hat-trick, benefitting from another sensational build-up, taking the final pass from Murdocca and blasting in from inside the six-yard box.
Nichols would have had a second goal assist of a similar calibre, but when he sent Henrique in behind the line, the little Brazilian was brought down from behind by Cassio and had to finish the play from the penalty spot.
The second half took some time to warm up, with Adelaide determined to avoid further embarrassment, but Brisbane kept possession and wore away at the opponents before breaking through in the 69th minute.
Substitute Issey Nakajima-Farran slid a lovely pass through the centre and Berisha showed great strength to hold off the defence and grab number four.
Postecoglou rewarded his gun striker with an early shower, and the crowd gave him a well-deserved standing ovation.
Kofi Danning squared to Nichols in the area in the 80th minute, and the midfielder flashed another great pass across the face of the goal for Nakajima-Farran to add the seventh.
Brisbane:7 (Henrique 21, 36, Berisha 23, 26, 29, 69, Nakajim-Farran, 80)
Adelaide: 1(Vidosic 5)
