Listening to Mile Sterjovski dissect Macarthur FC’s dramatic victory over Brisbane Roar, his vision for the Bulls is clear.
“We just want urgency. We want to be hard to beat. We’re conceding easy goals at the moment,” the Macarthur head coach told Paramount+ after Jake McGing’s 95th-minute header sealed a wild Isuzu UTE A-League showdown in Campbelltown on Sunday.
The finals-chasing Bulls had come into the contest on the back of two consecutive defeats and a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Western Sydney Wanderers. Macarthur also squandered a two-goal lead against the Roar.
Bachana Arabuli and Matt Millar had Macarthur 2-0 ahead through 67 minutes before a Jay O’Shea stunner and Jez Lofthouse’s first A-League Men goal sensationally turned the match on its head with nine minutes of regulation remaining.
But after Jordan Courtney-Perkins was sent off for a second yellow card, Macarthur had the final say.
The Australia Cup champions not only broke Brisbane’s hearts but moved within three points of the top six.
“Great character from the boys,” Sterjovski said as he celebrated his second win at the helm of the Bulls.
“We want to play with energy. We want to play a good brand of attacking football,” he added.
‘We can beat anyone’
Matt Millar continued his outstanding run of form in attack.
The Bulls full-back is Macarthur’s leading goalscorer this season with five following his 67th-minute strike against Brisbane.
He is the highest scoring defender across the competition.
“Not sure where that’s come from. I don’t really have an attacking bone,” he joked. “I had a couple of nose bleeds up top there.”
Sunday’s win is a much-needed confidence boost for the Bulls.
Macarthur have stuttered this season but they have beaten the likes of Adelaide United, Sydney FC and Wellington Phoenix.
“There is a lot of belief in our camp. We know if we can turn up on our day, we can beat anyone,” Millar insisted.
“It’s just about finding that consistency because we are a good team.”
Interim Roar head coach Nick Green, overseeing his second match in charge following Warren Moon’s departure, felt the visitors deserved more from the game.
“It’s tough to take. I think the lads done enough to take something from the game today,” Green said.
“That is probably the most disappointing thing. But the pleasing thing, if I’m honest, is we’re creating chances and moments.
“We could’ve had a few more goals today. Obviously they’re good on transition but I felt after 20-25 minutes, we dealt with that a lot better.
“I thought, if anything, if there was going to be a winner, it was going to be us.
Y”ou have to take the positives and move forward.”
