Marco Rojas was a fan favourite who scored almost 50 goals for Melbourne Victory across three stints, but he was a thorn in their side on Sunday after leading finals-chasing Brisbane Roar to a statement 3-2 win.
Rojas was the hero in his first start at Suncorp Stadium, where the New Zealand international opened his Roar account with a brace to guide Brisbane to a sixth consecutive match without defeat against former side Victory (W3 D3).
Dubbed the ‘Kiwi Messi’, Rojas broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute and restored Brisbane’s lead in the 56th minute after Zinedine Machach had equalised before half-time as he scored in the A-Leagues for the first time since April 2022 following a stint with Chilean giants Colo Colo.
SUPER-SUB: Chiefy’s masterstroke turns match on its head as Phoenix answer Mariners challenge
DERBY DELIGHT: Coach’s insight into tactic that swung Sydney showdown
Roar’s teenage sensation Thomas Waddingham maintained his red-hot form with his fifth goal in four matches as Brisbane snapped a two-game skid while extending their undefeated run on home soil to four matches.
The result boosted Roar’s finals hopes – with the 2023 Australia Cup runners-up now seventh and within three points of the top six. Fourth-placed Victory, meanwhile, were left with just one win in nine games and they dropped nine points off the pace following back-to-back losses despite Roly Bonevacia’s late strike.
“Nice to get on the scoresheet obviously. Nice to start. Been on the pitch a bit longer, it’s been a long time since I started a football match,” Rojas told Paramount+ post-match. “Very happy overall.”
“Most definitely and probably the shock that they were two headers,” he said when asked about the muted celebrations against his former team Victory.”
“Definitely, I have a lot of respect for that club. I loved my time there. Love the people that are there and the fans too. Very much out of respect for that. A muted celebration for them.”
There was nothing to separate the two sides through the opening 20 minutes of the match – a Daniel Arzani shot from outside of the area forced a save from Macklin Freke inside 10 minutes.
But the contest sprung to life when Roar star Rojas broke the deadlock against his former side in the 23rd minute.
After Waddingham was denied by Victory goalkeeper Paul Izzo, Rojas was on hand to head home the rebound and it led to a subdued celebration in front the travelling Melbourne fans.
It was his first A-Leagues goal since April 29, 2022.
Victory did restore parity 10 minutes prior to the interval when Machach’s barnstorming run ended in him beating Freke at his near post. It was a brilliant strike in which the Frenchman celebrated with head coach Tony Popovic.
The Roar hit the lead once more approaching the hour mark and it was Rojas again.
Loanee Keegan Jelacic picked out Rojas at the back post and the New Zealand international’s diving header found the back of the net on the memorable evening.
Victory’s hopes of a comeback were all but dashed 20 minutes of the end when Waddingham tapped home his sixth goal of the season, and fifth in four games.
New signing Bonevacia came off the bench to pull a goal back for Victory with minutes of regulation remaining and while it set up a grandstand finish, it was too late as the visitors and their 10-game unbeaten streak on the road came to an end.
