KEEPUP followed along LIVE to bring you all the goals, highlights, up to date scores and biggest talking points from the Isuzu UTE A-League on Monday.
Melbourne Victory extended their club-record unbeaten streak to 13 games but Monday’s 1-1 draw against Brisbane Roar dealt a blow to the team’s Premiership hopes.
Brendan Hamill cancelled out Alex Parsons’ opener for the Roar to leave Victory third in the Isuzu UTE A-League standings on Anzac Day.
Backing up from a 4-1 win over Macarthur FC on Friday, Victory are now two points behind Western United, who have played a game less, and four adrift of rival and leaders Melbourne City in the race not only for the Premiers Plate but top two.
According to Network 10/Paramount+ co-commentator Daniel McBreen, Victory can kiss the Premiers Plate goodbye.
“It’s out of their hands,” McBreen said post-game on Paramount+, with Victory due to conclude their regular-season campaign against Wellington Phoenix and Sydney FC.
“They really need both other teams to drop more than one game really.
“That’s gone now that first place.”
ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE: BRISBANE ROAR 1-1 MELBOURNE VICTORY
REACTION
Victory showed their ‘strong character’ – Brillante
It’s not the result Melbourne Victory wanted but for captain Josh Brillante, it was another example of the team’s character after two matches in three days.
After routing Macarthur FC 4-1 on Friday, Victory were back in action again on the road, this time away to Brisbane Roar.
It ended 1-1 in Brisbane, where Brendan Hamill headed home the equaliser after Alex Parsons put the Roar in front.
The Victory now face an uphill battle to finish in the top two and win the Premiership, however, Brillante was proud of his team’s resolve in challenging conditions.
“It’s not the result we wanted,” Brillante said on Paramount+. “The three points would’ve been much better but I think we did well considering we were 1-0 down.
“We only played three days days ago. It’s tough for us. Heavy pitch, a lot of rain here so in the end I think we did okay.”
Brillante added: “Only playing three days ago is difficult. But I think it shows our strong character. Thirteen games unbeaten, so we have to have that mentality going forward into the finals.”
A step in the right direction for Holmes and Brisbane
Jordan Holmes was upbeat after Brisbane Roar held Premiership-chasing Melbourne Victory to a 1-1 draw on Monday.
In wet and testing conditions, the Roar and Victory shared the points after Alex Parsons’ opener was cancelled out by Brendan Hamill in the second half.
It’s been a difficult season for the lowly Roar, who entered the contest 11th in the standings and without a win in three matches.
But Holmes, who made a fine save to deny Marco Rojas and Victory a second goal, felt it was a “step in the right direction”.
“We’ve been excited for the last 10 days to get the game,” Holmes told Paramount+.
“… For the crowd to come behind us, support us today. Difficult conditions to play in and probably to support in. But we dug in as a team.
“It’s a step in the right direction. We’re not losing games, we’re staying in games and creating chances.”
Holmes also saluted the strong crowd in attendance at Moreton Daily Stadium.
It’s great when the fans come out in numbers,” he added. “It’s been difficult all season.
“The weather and also the performances sometimes haven’t been the greatest but we appreciate all the support from the crowd.”
Full-time: Roar frustrate Victory in draw
The match came to life in the second half as Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory traded goals.
Brisbane almost snatched three points in stoppage time after a defensive mix-up in Victory’s defence but Kelava managed to avoid a howler.
The Roar and Victory split the points and it’s a result that strikes a blow to the top-two hopes of the visitors.
77′ Goalkeepers kept busy as Kelava denies Roar
It’s turning into an end-to-end spectacle in Brisbane.
After Holmes thwarts Rojas, Victory keeper Kelava is then quick off his line to deny Juan Lescano.
75′ Holmes thwarts Rojas
What an opportunity for Rojas and Victory.
Rojas is released through on goal but the Victory star is unable to beat Holmes, who makes himself big to keep out the New Zealand international.
It’s still level.
68′ Goal 1-1: Victory strike back
Brisbane’s lead lasts less than 15 minutes as the Victory equalise through an unlikely source – defender Brendan Hamill.
After Jack Brimmer forces a stunning save from Roar goalkeeper Jordan Holmes, Hamill heads home the resulting corner.
It’s all square heading into the final 22 minutes.
54′ Goal 1-0: Roar finally find the back of the net
Minutes after rattling the crossbar, Brisbane surge forward on the counter-attack and break the deadlock.
It’s Parsons, who has been the Roar’s biggest threat in attack.
With the team’s first shot on target, Parsons fires a low shot past Victory goalkeeper Ivan Kelava.
Future is bright in Brisbane, says Roar legend
Brisbane’s season hasn’t gone according to plan as they languish second from bottom in the A-League Men.
But, Roar legend and Championship-winning captain Matt Smith insists the future is bright for the club when you look at players like Parsons under head coach Warren Moon.
“I think it’s great Moony has given a lot of confidence to all the younger players in Queensland,” Smith told Paramount+ at half-time.
“Given a lot of local Queensland boys the opportunity to try and build something over a longer period of time.
“There’s a bright future here in Queensland.”
Half-time: Nothing to separate Brisbane and Melbourne
The Roar end the half probably the happier of the two teams, having controlled a good chunk of proceedings in the first 45 minutes.
Clear-cut chances were few and far between, but Brisbane kept the Victory on their toes in a hard-fought opening half.
Will the floodgates open in the second period?
43′ Roar threaten again as Parsons goes close
It’s another warning shot for Victory, with Alex Parsons next to get a sight on goal.
The Roar forward creates space for himself as he drifts onto his right foot but sends his shot over the crossbar.
What a boost that would’ve been approaching half-time.
36′ Hore almost puts the Roar ahead
The conditions are tough but that hasn’t stopped Henry Hore from nearly scoring a sensational volley.
Jack Hingert plays a delightful ball into the penalty area and it falls nicely for Hore, who is unable to steer his volley inside the far corner of the net.
28′ Victory starting to threaten
Victory are a team oozing confidence and they almost break the deadlock in sublime fashion.
Leigh Broxham picks out Ben Folami and the Socceroo plays a quick pass to release Jason Davidson, who slides a ball across the six-yard box.
Chris Ikonimidis is praying the back post but the ball is desperately put away for a corner by Kai Trewin’s last-ditch intervention.
20′ Wet and rainy Redcliffe
After the Anzac ceremony, the game gets underway and it’s a tight affair.
The conditions aren’t making things easy for both sets of teams, with the wet Redcliffe pitch chopping up underneath.
Testing conditions greet Roar and Victory
It’s going to be wet and slippery for today’s showdown in Brisbane. It’s a far cry from Melbourne for Victory, with Victoria bathed in sunshine on Monday.
Opta insight
- Melbourne Victory have kept back-to-back clean sheets against Brisbane Roar in their last two encounters, logging a win and a draw in that period; only once in the history of this fixture has either team kept more than two consecutive clean sheets (3 – Brisbane Roar from January to April in 2014).
- Brisbane picked up a 5-2 win in their last A-League Men game against the Victory at home, snapping a four-game losing streak in such fixtures; in fact, it was their first home win against the Victory since a 1-0 triumph in March 2017.
- This will be just the fifth ALM game played on Anzac Day in the history of the competition; the Roar’s only match on the day ended in a 5-3 loss to Adelaide United in 2019 while this will be the first game on April 25th for the Victory.
- Brisbane (0) are the only team yet to make an error leading to a goal conceded this season, while the Victory have made two; in fact, the Roar have made just a single error leading to a goal across the last three ALM seasons.
- The Victory have kept 16 clean sheets against Brisbane in the ALM, their joint-most against any team in the competition alongside Adelaide, while only Newcastle Jets (17) have kept more clean sheets against the Roar than the Victory.
- Brisbane’s Kai Trewin is set to play his 50th ALM game; Trewin has blocked 26 shots in the 2021-22 season, the most of any Roar player in a single campaign since Opta began collecting the data at the beginning of the 2012-13 campaign.
- Jay O’Shea of the Roar has been directly involved in four goals in his last four ALM games at Moreton Daily Stadium (one goal, three assists), including two assists against the Jets in his last game there.
- Victory star Chris Ikonomidis has been directly involved in three goals in his five ALM appearances against Brisbane (two goals, one assist); his 3.6 shots per game against them in his career in the competition are his second-most against any team (4.4 v Wellington Phoenix).
Victory’s streak on the line in pursuit of City
Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory meet on Anzac Day with the latter still in the hunt for the Premiership.
Having routed Macarthur FC 4-1 on Friday, Victory will be able to move within two points of defending champions and leaders Melbourne City at the top of the table.
This is the third time the 11th-placed Roar and Victory have met this season, with the Melbourne club winning the first affair and the second ending in a 0-0 draw.
