Melbourne City defied the absence of several key players to extend their A-League Men’s unbeaten run to eight matches with a 2-1 comeback win over Brisbane Roar on Wednesday.
REACTION: ‘IT WAS A STATEMENT WIN’: UNDERSTRENGTH CITY EXTEND GAP AT THE TOP
Despite Henry Hore giving the Roar an early lead at Moreton Daily Stadium, an own goal from Kai Trewin and youngster Raphael Borges Rodrigues’ first ALM goal were enough to secure City the win.
The defending champions are now three-points clear on the ladder.
Particularly pleasing for coach Patrick Kisnorbo, the victory was achieved despite the absence of Socceroos quartet Mathew Leckie, Jamie Maclaren, Connor Metcalfe and Marco Tilio.
City were also without captain Scott Jamieson (back) and defender Nuno Reis (COVID-19) as Kisnorbo made six changes to his starting XI from the weekend’s 1-1 derby draw with Melbourne Victory.
“I thought we showed some great character but that’s what we’ve been building for three years,” Kisnorbo said.
“It just hasn’t happened overnight.
“There’s some things we need to work on. Some improvements but, overall, I was very happy.”
Raphael was among those new faces in his first start of the season, while Curtis Good started a day after City rebuffed a call from Football Australia for the defender to join the Socceroos squad as cover following Kye Rowles’ COVID-19 enforced withdrawal.
Fresh from a 4-1 win over Perth last Saturday, the Roar made a brilliant start when Hore notched his fourth goal of the season in the ninth minute.
A short corner routine between Jay O’Shea and Jesse Daley led to the ball finding its way to Hore, with the 22-year-old stepping past one defender before curling a precise finish into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the box.
The visitors’ responded quickly, however, when stand-in captain Andrew Nabbout and French playmaker Florin Berenguer combined on the left before Berenguer’s driven cross was deflected into his own net by the unfortunate Trewin.
Teenager Raphael put City ahead shortly after half-time when he stabbed home from close range in the 49th minute for the 18-year-old to become the club’s third-youngest goalscorer.
Raphael’s strike, which came after Nabbout had knocked a free-kick across goal, came despite a suspicion of the youngster being offside when the set-piece was delivered.
Brisbane coach Warren Moon turned to the bench in his quest for an equaliser and one of those substitutes, striker Cyrus Dehmie, came closest to restoring parity in the 69th minute but his powerful header crashed down off the crossbar and away from goal.
“Tough loss I have to say,” Moon said.
“We took the lead. We started brightly. We created chances and just so bitterly disappointed with the type of goals we conceded.
“We sit here now knowing we’ve missed an opportunity.”
Defeat keeps Brisbane second-last on the ladder with 17 points from 16 matches.
Brisbane host former coach John Aloisi’s high-flying Western United on Saturday while City travel to Sydney to face Macarthur.
RE-LIVE: ROAR 1-2 CITY, AS IT HAPPENED
By Matt Comito for KEEPUP
FULL-TIME: ROAR 1-2 CITY
An understrength City has done enough to defeat the Roar on the road, with Borges Rodrigues scoring the all-important winner early in the second half.
A Kai Trewin own goal got City back on level terms in the first half after Henry Hore’s opening goal for the hosts.
69′: CHANCE! Dehmie hits the woodwork
Jack Hingert’s cross from the right flank met Roar substitute Cyrus Dehmie in the box, who hung in the air before unleashing a powerful header on goal.
His attempt had Glover beaten but crashed off the crossbar instead of hitting the back of the net.
49′: GOAL! City come from behind to take the lead (1-2)
Raphael Borges Rodrigues has his first Isuzu UTE A-League goal, tucking home Andrew Nabbout’s volleyed pass across the six-yard box from close range to put City in front.
HALF-TIME: BRISBANE 2-2 CITY
After a breathless start to the game the two sides settled, with scores locked at 1-1 at the break.
City keeper Tom Glover was busy throughout the first half, keeping out a handful of dangerous Roar efforts.
14′: GOAL! Trewin own goal levels the score (1-1)
Florin Berenguer has forced an own goal out of Roar defender Kai Trewin.
The Frenchman’s touch off Andrew Nabbout’s pass helped Berenguer skip past Jay O’Shea and into the box. From there he whipped his cross into the six-yard box, off Trewin’s leg and into the roof of the net.
9′: GOAL! ‘Henry Hore is the hero’ in well-worked Roar routine (1-0)
The hosts are in front of the Champions in Redcliffe, with Henry Hore putting the final touch on a neat Roar play from a corner routine.
The corner went short, before the ball was slung to Hore on the edge of the penalty area. Hore feinted to shoot, skipping past his City marker and sliding the ball from the edge of the box into the bottom-left corner of goal.
1′: KICK-OFF (0-0)
Melbourne City are hunting three points needed to guarantee top spot by the end of the evening, with second-placed Western United locked 0-0 with Melbourne Victory half an hour into their Wednesday-night clash in Victoria.
TEAM NEWS
Juan Lescano scored two goals in Brisbane’s 4-1 win over Perth Glory last time out; he misses out through illness for the Roar, whilst Rahmat Akbari is replaced by Jesse Daley with the former on national team duty with Afghanistan.
City, meanwhile are without Socceroos quarter Mathew Leckie, Jamie Maclaren, Marco Tilio and Connor Metcalfe.
Andrew Nabbout remains to help fire City to victory this evening, with Florin Berenguer holding the keys to the Roar defence with his creativity in and around the penalty area.
