Heart v Roar

A-League report by Shane Derham
Melbourne Heart v Brisbane Roar


The Brisbane Roar have charged home in the second half to record their ninth win of the season and take them 4 points clear at the top of the table of nearest rival Adelaide United.

The game breaker was a counter attack move by the Brisbane Roar on the left hand side. They than moved the ball through to middle in Broich who than passed to a free Franjic whose shot hit the post and landed at the feet of Solorzano to score the match winner in the 88th minute.

The Roar nearly went two ahead after Visconte was free with only the keeper to beat, but Bolton did a good job in saving a low shot to his right.

The match was a tale of two halves. The Melbourne Heart were the dominant side in the first half.

The opening goal by Gerald Sibon was a thunderbolt of a right boot. Zahra created the space for Marrone to make a deep run on the right hand side of the park. Marrone than crossed the ball back to the top of the box to a deep running Sibon, who had no defender coming back with him.

In the 18th minute, Skoko made a great cross to Worm on the far post whose header hit a post, clearly beating Theoklitos.

Brisbane Roar's first chance came in the 30th minute with a Luke Devere shoot, which went just wide of the right post.

The second half, Brisbane Roar showed why they are the team to beat in this year's competition.

Franjic made an immediate impact on the second half making a great run down the left hand side, crossing it to Barbarouses who hit the side netting in the 47th minute.

The feeling a goal coming was in the air, after Thomas Broich got free at the top of the penalty box and played a ball through to Barbarouses, who again hit the side the net.

Two minutes later, it came in the 65th minute. A one-two between Barbarouses and Nicholas created space on the left hand side for Barbarouses to finally open his account and drew the match back up to 1-all.

The Heart almost went ahead after Thompson intercepted a poor back pass and played the ball onto Alex Terra whose shot went across the face of the goal.

In the 71st minute, the referee pointed to the stop after Marrone brought down Solorzano in the box. Franjic stood over the ball and shoot low and straight down the middle with Clint Bolton making a save with his big toe.

The game than really opened up, the crowd was on there feet with excitement with end-to-end Football with both teams having plenty of opportunities to score.

Brisbane have a tough schedule over the next ten days with Newcastle away on Wednesday, the Fury at home on Saturday and than the Glory on the following Wednesday. While the Melbourne Heart also have a quick backup with Friday night against an Adelaide United club which will want to bounce back after a big lose in Newcastle.