As Sydney FC and Brisbane get set to do battle on Saturday night at Allianz Stadium, we look back to their round seven meeting last season.
The Sky Blues had won their first six games to open a six-point gap at the top of the Hyundai A-League ladder, scoring 17 goals and conceding just two in the first month and half of the season.
Brisbane had been good too though, losing just one of their first six matches to sit third.
JOY FOR JOSH
It took just 13 minutes for the Sky Blues to go ahead and it came from an unlikely source.
Josh Brillante had never scored a professional goal, but he opened his account in stunning fashion.
The ball was played across the face of Brisbane’s penalty area and from 23 yards out, the combative midfielder belted an unstoppable drive past the despairing dive of Michael Theo.
“Finally … finally he’s done it!” bellowed Fox Sports commentator Michael Cockerill as Brillante’s sweet strike nestled in the top corner.
NO DOUBT ABOUT THOMAS
Brazilian striker Bobo had a golden chance to double the lead but couldn’t find the target when played in one-on-one with Theo.
But Brisbane weren’t short on confidence themselves having won their last three on the bounce and they found an equaliser before half-time.
It came from their new foreign midfielder Thomas Kristensen who had opened his goalscoring account in round three against the Mariners.
The Great Dane expertly brought down a left-wing cross before guiding a precise right-footed effort past Danny Vukovic and into the far corner off the post.
THEO STANDS TALL
Sydney had the better of the second half chances, but Theo proved to be Roar’s hero.
The veteran gloveman first palmed aside Brandon O’Neill’s dipping free-kick before denying substitute Bernie Ibini late in the piece.
An enthralling encounter finished 1-1.
