Brisbane Roar have equalled the Hyundai A-League record of 13 games undefeated with an action packed 3-2 win over Perth Glory, who finished the game with nine men.
Brisbane were dominant across the park, with Jean Carlos Solorzano scoring a double, but the Glory poured everything into the match, and their two goals against the run of play kept the crowd of 6386 on their feet to the very end.
Josh Mitchell was the second man to go for the visitors, sent from the field in injury time, but Scott Neville-s dismissal was the back-breaker for Perth, conceding a penalty, which Solorzano slotted to put Brisbane 3-1 ahead.
“It was exciting. It was a funny old game in terms of the score-line. I thought we played fantastically well in the second half, and yet conceded two goals,” said Roar coach Ange Postecoglou.
“To their credit they fought it out, but certainly we felt that in the second half we should have had a couple more.”
Perth Glory coach was disappointed at having let Brisbane slip away after closing within 2-1 with time to spare, but he was happy to pay the home-side their dues.
“Brisbane are a fantastic team. Their ability and their movement is first class… they-re a difficult team to contain,” he said.
“It was a disappointment, because if you come to Brisbane and score two goals you-d be hoping you could win the game.”
After a sluggish start that didn-t impress the coach, the Roar began to turn in on in the 30th minute, with Ivan Franjic, Massimo Murdocca and Thomas Broich linking up to create several opportunities in quick succession.
Eventually the breakthrough came for the Roar just minutes from the half-time whistle.
It was vintage football as the ball whizzed from Murddocca to Broich onto Kosta Barbarouses and through to Jean Carlos Solorzano who took it in the area and fired past Tando Velaphi, after momentarily losing control.
Coming out from after the break Brisbane were straight back into their dominant role, and Broich did everything he could to deliver the second.
Shredding the Glory defence, he took the ball onto the baseline than bumped it back to Matt McKay at the top of the area; McKay-s shot was blocked by Velaphi and then the Perth stopper made an even better save, deflecting Murdocca-s follow-up with incredible reflexes.
Brisbane didn-t have to wait much longer to double their lead, with Matt Smith pushing forward for a corner and heading home strongly from near the back post.
The Roar seemed certain to push on and make it a drubbing, but when Perth were next to score.
In a rare Glory attacking raid, Luke Devere was struck high on the upper arm within the area and marquee-man Robbie Fowler stepped up to sink the penalty past Michael Theoklitos.
Brisbane answered back soon after with a penalty goal of their own. Solorzano had burst through the line and was deep in the area when Scott Neville hacked him down.
The Perth Glory defender was shown his second yellow card, reducing the Glory to 10 men, and Solorzano nailed the penalty, to take a double from the game.
But the Glory were showing plenty of heart and amazingly were next to score, with Adrian Pellegrino making an entry for goal of the year, firing an absolute scud past Michael Theoklitos from 30 meters out.
The twists and turns weren-t done, however, and in injury time Perth lost another man, with Josh Mitchell shown a straight red for a rough foul on Reinaldo at the edge of the area.
