Summary
So it’s even-stevens as Season 12 of the A-League returns to our screens. An intriguing clash in the first half, but it arguably failed to really hit the heights we perhaps expected from two such potentially entertaining and attacking sides.
Coach John Aloisi with some very strong opinions as to referee Evans’ performance tonight – he’s perhaps hoping he’ll receive a week’s grace fine-wise from FFA because he’s really gone to town: “I was very disappointed with the referee tonight; he’s a professional contracted referee, but his performance just wasn’t good enough”.
Brisbane perhaps aggrieved to see their captain McKay sent off in his landmark 200th game, but in all honesty they don’t have too much basis for complaint. Yes, the first yellow was perhaps harsh, but to tug an opponent back knowing you’ve been cautioned was pretty reckless from the skipper.
Victory for their part looked bright from the outset, but perhaps didn’t create enough for Besart Berisha, who had a quiet evening – especially on his return to Suncorp.
Holman and Kristensen looked impressive for the hosts, so positive signs for them, with Tommy Oar’s cameo also showing he appears to be back to his full powers.
Some carelessness in possession however. A rusty first offering from both sides perhaps, but definitely solid signs that these two teams could feature prominently in the end-of-season run-in.
Some pretty long faces on the Victory bench, but it’s all smiles among Brisbane supporters.
Your final thoughts on that dramatic finale?
Full-time: Brisbane Roar 1-1 Melbourne Victory
And that’s that!
You’d be a brave Roar supporter to suggest you saw that coming! It was a pretty limp ending to that half from the home side, but sheer tenacity from De Vere and no shortage of fortune and Brisbane share the points.
Goal! Brisbane Roar 1-1 Melbourne Victory (De Vere)
96 min: Well would you bloody believe that!
It was a flat ball in from Oar and neither side could muster a decisive touch. It bobbled off the heads three or four times, and as De Vere challenged the lumbering centre back has conjured the remarkable!
He was off balance, falling backwards – and yet he’s scooped a terrific shot over a helpless Lawrence Thomas!
How’s that for late drama.
95 min: Hello, hello. There’s one last opportunity! Maclaren is fouled by Broxham just outside the Victory box. Great set piece chance – it’s Oar over the freekick. It’s to the right of the box, so perhaps a cross rather than a shot. What can they muster?
93 min: A time-sapping substitution as Troisi trundles off for young George Howard.
Kristensen does well, and the home side howl there disapproval as Oar is not awarded a foul. Ingham heads to the corner to wind down the clock; the Roar are struggling to really make an impact in these closing minutes.
91 min: Pepper does well to dispossess his opposite number, and finds Maclaren – but former colleague Donachie picks his pocket well.
He’s looking isolated up front, Maclaren – some tired legs perhaps out there in orange.
90 min: And it’s five extra minutes of stoppage time. Can the Roar find one last hurrah?
89 min: Ingham on for the goalscorer, Austin. He didn’t have the brightest of league debuts, to be fair, but few will care after that one telling contribution.
Frustrations boiling over on the bench as assistant Ross Aloisi receives a real talking to from the referee.
87 min: Well. We’ve not seen this in an A-League game, for.. Gee how long?
As the ball works into the Victory box, there’s a streaker!
Technically, panted, but it elicits a moment’s excitement for the home fans. Will this settle or distract the respective teams?
85 min: Oar wins another corner and the home fans try and Roar themselves back into the contest (apologies). Victory defend well at the near post; needed to be a deeper delivery from Oar, and the danger passes.
Goal! Brisbane Roar 0-1 Melbourne Victory (Austin)
83 min: It’s a lovely cross from Ben Khalfallah as Troisi and Austin get their wires crossed, both trying to connect. The ball drops and with one or two orange shirts in attendance it’s the former Mariner who reacts quickest to rifle home a fine left-footed effort. No chance, Theo – could this be the winner?!
82 min: Another yellow, this time for Kristensen as Ben Khalfallah is clattered by Pepper.
Victory build nicely down the right here, and what might come of the cross?
79 min: And, there it is! I meant to mention this pre-game: the burning question on everyone’s lips – who would be the first A-League fanbase to try and adopt the Viking Clap?!
I really, really had my money on Mariners; but question no longer, folks, as a well, frankly, tame rendition rumbles out from ‘the Den’. Come on Brisbane, surely you can out-coordinate Canberra Raiders/Cronulla Sharks fans..
78 min: Now it’s Corey Brown in the book. Is that seven yellows? It’s not been nasty, but most of these cards you’d have to say have been well-earned.
Baro with a long range speculative effort, but Theo deals with it comfortably.
77 min: Georgevski picks up a yellow for a McKay-esque tugback. Difference was he hadn’t previously been cautioned.
What can Victory muster here? With a man’s advantage and Holman off the park, surely a gilt-edged opportunity to grab maximum points?
74 min: A scare for Theo – a lovely teasing ball from Georgevski only just evades the efforts of Berisha. The ‘keeper waits to see if there’s contact, and the cross almost creeps inside his far post!
Bozanic heads to the bench. That achilles rake appears to have done his evening, as the experienced Leigh Broxham joins the action.
71 min: Let’s see then how that sending off alters proceedings. No sign of ill-effect initially as Oar wins a corner.
It bends in-and-out as Broich also heads to the sideline – he’s replaced by Jacob Pepper who makes his Roar league debut. A defensive adjustment from Aloisi? You’d hope he’s not shutting up shop, but without Holman, McKay and now Broich you’d warrant a lot less attacking intend in this Brisbane midfield now.
69 min: North limps back into the fray, as now Borrello goes in the book. The crowd are booing, but that’s really ugly from the winger. He’s raked the achilles of Bozanic there, and after a series of clumsy fouls in the first half has more than earned his caution.
67 min: Further bad news for the Roar, as the veteran North clatters into the post – great defensive work, but he’s struck the upright flush on the patella. Really nasty, that.
He’d only just picked the armband up from the departing McKay – is it cursed?!
Red card!
65 min: Oh deary, deary, me. Matt McKay’s drawn the ire of our referee Evans and he’s been handed a second yellow! The captain heads for the tunnel in his 200th A-League appearance!
It’s a tug-back on Ben Khalfallah, and you’d have to say, he really gave the whistleblower no option. Silly stuff from the skipper.
63 min: A warm evening then in Brisbane – not quite Jeddah hot, but certainly sufficient to see both sets of players slow the pace a touch. The early pressing has fallen away, as the Roar caress some passes around their back four.
61 min: Oar immediately into the action – he skips past Baro with blistering pace and fires a really dangerous cross in. Georgevski does well to cut it out, but the crowd howl as they maintain a hand may have played a role there. Replays suggest it would have been a harsh penalty shout on the Victory left back.
59 min: It travels far post, and Austin returns a dangerous curling cross. Only for Theo to pluck it off the head of Donachie.
And John Aloisi’s decided it’s Tommy Oar time. Surprisingly it’s Holman that makes way – the coach perhaps with a pre-game plan to ease his marquee midfielder back into the A-League.
57 min: Holman tracks back well to dispossess Geria; he’s been box-to-box on his return to Australian league football. Real positive signs that he’s still got plenty to contribute at this level.
Brown concedes another corner, as the Victory enjoy a patch of pressure. What can they muster?
54 min: Feels like a slight lull in proceedings, as Kevin Muscat complains about what he perceives as a series of niggling fouls from the Roar. I guess he’d probably know a thing or two about those.
Roar defend a corner and break brilliantly. Kristensen picks out Holman with a 40 yard cross-field pass, but Baro does well to stall proceedings. So far, so good from the experienced Spaniard centre-half. He’s left footed, by the way, which is always nice in a left-sided centre-back, for mine.
51 min: Holman tries to pick out Borrello, but Georgevski reads the play and defends well.
A quick throw from Brown finds a scampering Maclaren, but former teammate Donachie muscles him off.
A yellow for Holman who drags back his opposite No10 Troisi – literally – 1 A-League game, 1 yellow card. He’s an animal.
49 min: And right on cue! Maclaren draws a save from Thomas! Ultimately a touch weak as he drags his studs across the ball, but well worked to find space from his marker.
Geria then puts in a great recovery tackle to stop Broich. Them pegs ain’t what they used to be, but even at 35 the two-time Johnny Warren medallist will still pose some questions this season, you’d imagine.
47 min: Der Thomas pinged for offside. Have we seen enough from Maclaren in that first half? You can never really rule him out, I guess – he’s just one of those dangerous poachers who only ever needs half a chance.
Second half: Brisbane Roar 0-0 Melbourne Victory
45 min: There goes that – it appears I’ll go wurst for wear, because we’re back on the pitch and under way. Victory now running left to right, as Geria draws a foul from North and Brown. The Roar defenders mocking my rumbling gizzards with a classic ‘sandwich’ tackle there.
Right – I’m going to throw together some cold sausages and some sauerkraut (my humble homage to der einzige, Thomas Broich). Second half action not too far away.
Rob Howes isn’t too happy about the cavernous Suncorp, up to its old tricks:
and there dies football. Could they play these games in a smaller ground?Suncorp feels empty with <25,000 which is a lot!
Always with you on that one, Rob – remind me to show you my #BoutiqueStadiums shoulder tattoo some time.
That said, it sounds a pretty decent atmosphere thus far – well done to the Roar active supporters, who no doubt have been champing and chanting all off-season, eagerly awaiting the return of A-League action.
It was certainly a very stop-start first stanza – 20 fouls awarded in that 45min. It did begin to open up as the half proceeded, which could perhaps play into Victory’s hands?
No Rojas (as discussed early due to international commitments) but we might see Jai Ingham get a chance to trouble the Roar fullbacks.
No Manuel Arana in the squad for Roar, but one Tommy Oar will be liking a more open game in the second half. If either side can improve their fluency there’s definitely a goal, nay, goals left in this one.
Valerio Veo joins us via twitter:
that was not a great half to open the season. Everyone looks rusty!
Certainly a few cobwebs there (perhaps even wrapped around a few nerves?) – but surely enough lively moments to please the armchair connoisseurs, non?
Half-time: Brisbane Roar 0-0 Melbourne Victory
45 min: So that’s the whistle. Gentle approval from the home crowd as their chargers leave the pitch. They arguably shaded the half after a bright start from the visitors.
No goals, and not too many clear-cut chances, but an intriguing first stanza and thrust and parry.
Is that how you saw it?
43 min: Concern here as Troisi stays down, clutching his shoulder. First look I was worried it was a collar bone – would you believe the replay suggests he was backed into whilst in the air, by Borrello! Very heavy fall, good news the hero of the Asian Cup final is able to play on.
41 min: Borrello penalised for backing into Georgevski, not for the first time – a second warning, the Macedonian perhaps rightly protesting that that seems lenient.
It’s beginning to bubble a touch, but it’s far from a cauldron of tempers, even late in the half.
39 min: A mazy run from Berisha – he’s never one to go missing when his side’s on the back foot. The industrious McKay and Holman squeeze out his cutback pass to Valeri. They’re perhaps just shading the midfield battle presently, the Roar, with Bozanic and Troisi not quite as lively.
37 min: Loose from Georgevski and the Dane almost picks another quality ball. That one lofted too close to Thomas though, who prevents his German namesake, Thomas (Broich), from charging through.
35 min: The Roar are finding some half chances in quick succession – great ball from Kristensen almost puts Borrello through but Lawrence Thomas scampers brilliantly off his line to clear.
They’re enjoying this passage, the home side! Victory need to get a foothold here, or they might endure a nervy last ten to this half.
33 min: Great build up from McKay – he’s picked out by Holman out wide, then sends a curling cross back to his former Socceroo colleague. It’s a fluffed header from Holman however, if he’d connected there we might have seen the opening goal!
Nice play from the veteran duo.
31 min: A pause in proceedings as Broich attends to some recalcitrant shoelaces. Does he have the same kit suppliers as the Saudi Arabian national team? Discuss.
Both sides attempting to play out from the back, but both ‘keepers finding themselves pressed fiercely.
28 min: Brisbane with the lion’s share of possession these last ten minutes as McKay swiftly follows Ben Khalfallah into the referee’s notebook.
A touch harsh, perhaps as McKay is adjudged to have led with the elbow as he leapt to contest possession. You don’t imagine he wants to finish his 200th appearance with an early shower.
Updated
25 min: Well, having made the early running, it now appears that it’s the Roar calling the shots at the moment.
A sloppy clearance from Theo, not his first – there’s been some errors from both sides thus far, perhaps a touch of off-season rust.
Ben Khalfallah receives the first yellow of the season – as he brings down Brown from behind.
22 min: Crowd getting engaged as Broich probes around the edge of the Victory box.
Holman with a defence-splitting pass, but Brown is called offside; replays suggest correctly. Whelps of delight as Brown ruffled the net, but it was a shot after the whistle and the young fullback is fortunate not to enter the referee’s book.
Now howls of derision as Kristensen goes to ground after copping a high boot from Troisi. Remarkable that wasn’t called a foul; our referee stopped play to treat the head injury, but then was happy to not penalise the Victory midfielder. Curious.
20 min: Holman working hard in the Brisbane midfield, looks for Borrello but the Victory defence does enough.
Thomas sweeps to break down another Roar move, but his distribution is poor and only finds touch.
18 min: Incidentally Shaun Evans is our man with the whistle tonight. Nothing too controversial thus far, but we’ll keep tabs on how the relatively inexperienced referee goes. He’s been around for about five seasons but only his 38th league game in charge.
16 min: Baro with a header, and he loops it just over Theo’s bar! Well worked from the Spaniard to make space from his marker, but he couldn’t quite get it to dip. You’d imagine a goal on his league debut might help settle the nerves.
Bozanic penalised for a sliding tackle, but the cards stay in the pocket on this occasion.
14 min: Ooh! A flashing ball just evades Kristensen, and a stooping Broich who was entirely unmarked inside the box!
Austin now concedes a needless freekick in a dangerous area, and Holman again stands over it.
Oohs and ahhs as Borrello lines up inside the box, but the defence forces him wide and it’s a tame effort for Thomas in the end.
Victory quickly transition – it’s end to end already; as we perhaps expected with two such gifted attacking squads.
13 min: Holman with a nice layoff to McKay and his ball to Maclaren draws a corner from Geria.
What can the Roar make from this set piece?
10 min: A break in play as Jade North receives treatment. Appears to have caught a flailing arm from Berisha. An elbow from the Albanian, you ask? Surely not.
He escapes censure and North rejoins the fray, slightly groggily.
7 min: Ooh, debatable freekick against Austin, who tangles with Hingert. Seemed the Roar man was the infringer, but the home crowd happy to see it go their way.
Borrello now punished for backing into Georgevski. No real malice thus far, but a flurry of blasts of the whistle makes it stop start.
Fahid Ben Khalfallah with the first crack at the Roar goal – a lovely cross picks out the winger who drives a first-time left-footed volley, but it’s blocked by Corey Brown.
Victory perhaps shading the early exchanges; they are looking a touch sharper.
5 min: Thomas Broich gets involved, interesting to see the veteran German get the nod ahead of flying winger Tommy Oar. Watch for him to join the fray second half, you’d imagine.
Theo with a poor kick and turns over possession, but Georgevski returns the favour. First look at Kristensen, the Dane – he looks a more physical presence then the impressive Corona who he replaces at the base of the Brisbane midfield.
3 min: Victory with some early possession, first look at Alan Baro who seems comfortable at the back. Mitch Austin pins the ears back – that could prove a nice little battle with Jack Hingert as the night progresses.
First close up of Kevin Muscat who chew his gum, furiously.
First bite from our Guardian grammarians – Harry McDonald rises to the bait:
I’m not falling for your “especial” trap; I’ll save my pedantry for more egregious examples. You are aware that Rojas is in the USA at present – along with half the Phoenix team? When will the FFA stop this nonsense and suspend matches for the international break?
Ah, Harry – I think you’ll find you mean the All Whites squad; correcting mistakes is not as easy as it seems!
Good point though, it does take a touch of the shine off the opening week of a new season when you’re missing quality players to international fixtures. As Melbourne City will find tomorrow, away to Wellington Phoenix (sans marquee Tim Cahill).
1 min: It looks an immaculate Suncorp pitch and Brisbane caress some passes nicely down the left – finishing with a lofted shot from Borrello. Disappointing in the end, but a nice sighter for the young forward.
Kick off!
1 min: And we’re underway – hello Season 2016-17!
Incidentally, it’s not just Besart Berisha facing his old club tonight – James Donachie will be making his Victory league debut in the heart of defence, and he shares a few smiles and handshakes in the tunnel.
The players emerge onto the pitch to a barrage of fireworks – Matt McKay leads the home side in his 200th A-League appearance – a tremendous achievement, joining an elite club of just twelve players; including the man back between the sticks, Michael Theo, who has won his spot back from Jamie Young.
Haha. Great opening words from the chair – just had a second look at that XI and Petratos isn’t even in the squad. Spot the guy who was on Socceroos duty at 4.45am.
Okay, scratch that pearl of wisdom. Apparently Dimi has missed out with a late ankle knock, so a loss for the Roar there, but Borello is certainly no slouch coming in.
First email sortie from Ross Summers:
Hi Richard. A Brissy boy here, who’ll be following along (sneakily) from my office in Kuala Lumpur. Maclaren to net a brace and Brisbane to win 2-1. Optimistic, right?
Sounds pretty reasonable to me, Ross. He did bag 20 last season – although I reckon Dimi Petratos could be a smokey for opening goal. Doesn’t mind a big game offering, does our Dimi, and he’s not averse to the spectacular either.
We’re not too far away from kick-off, but first some team news. If you’ve missed all the off-season ins and outs, there’s a stack of new faces for both sides – I for one am excited to see how some of the lesser known foreign imports will stack up.
Brisbane Roar:
Here is our starting 11 for tonight's @ALeague opener against @gomvfc #BRIvMVC #FEELTHEROAR pic.twitter.com/Xcx0iiEci8
— Brisbane Roar (@brisbaneroar) October 7, 2016
And Melbourne Victory:
Here's our line-up for the opening game of the #ALeague season. Kick-off 7.50pm AEDT. Catch it live on Fox Sports 505 & @SBS2 #BRIvMVC pic.twitter.com/lDGdkQWgEt
— Melbourne Victory (@gomvfc) October 7, 2016
Hihi. Hope this finds you well from wherever in the world you’re following this coverage, Richard Parkin in the chair at Guardian Australia HQ. Are you wearing your Roar orange underneath your suit for that all-important pitch meeting? Will you be taking some ‘strategic toilet breaks’ from the operating theatre to keep tabs on the return of Marco Rojas?
Always love to hear your tales, especially from far flung corners of this global village – shoot an email to richard.parkin.casual@guardian.co.uk or via the twitters @rrjparkin.
Incidentally the ‘casual’ bit in my email address refers not to my employment status but my approach to spelling and/or grammar. (Do we call it nomenclature?) So feel free to write in with corrections; Guardian readers, as we know, have an especial talent in this department.
Quips, insights and witticisms also welcome – who do you fancy to take the points tonight? The panel of Guardian football writers may have tipped Victory to finish top, but I’m going to break ranks early: Brisbane Roar – 3pts. Your move.
Preamble
The A-League 2016-17 is back upon us! You could be forgiven for feeling it’s been a low-key reemergence this season, but such was the fanfare surrounding twin Cinderella stories in the NRL and AFL finals, it’s been tough for FFA to get much clear air to build excitement.
#WhyNotUs it isn’t but #YouGottaHaveATeam is far from the worst A-League launch campaign we’ve seen (*cough* #90Minutes90Emotions). And try as they would even the bitter corners of the internet couldn’t tear down the feelgood factor around young Yoshi and his quest to find a club.
He’d do well to look at either of tonight’s teams – despite a troubled off-season, filled with player non-payments, near walkouts from coaching staff, and on-going financial ructions plaguing the Brisbane Roar owners – on the pitch the Roar could be a real title contender.
The recruitment of Brett Holman may not have garnered the attention of prodigal son, Tim “Timmy” Cahill but if he’s still in anywhere near the form he showed just a few years back in the Premier League with Aston Villa, then Brisbane might prove a handful.
They add tricky Spanish winger Manuel Arana and experienced Danish midfielder Thomas Kristensen to a side that still boasts Matt McKay, Tommy Oar and Thomas Broich. Oh, and need we add last season’s second highest goalscorer, Jamie Maclaren?
Melbourne Victory however caught the eyes of our football writers – headline recruits James Troisi and Marco Rojas add excitement to a frontline that is still built around former Suncorp stadium darling Besart Berisha, with Fahid Ben Khalfallah again set to terrorise fullbacks.
There have been however some massive departures over the summer; none more so than Matthieu Delpierre – arguable the best defender the A-League’s ever seen – and a weight of expectation will sit on new Spaniard Alan Baro to fill the Frenchman’s shoes.
There is of course a small revenge narrative at play – it was the Victory who denied Brisbane a remarkable Premiership last season, grinding out a stubborn 0-0 draw in the final round of last season to hand rivals Adelaide the silverware.
Speaking to Roar skipper Matt McKay at the A-League launch you could tell that particular fact still rankles; but after such a long off-season you don’t imagine John Aloisi needs too much to motivate his men.
First blood and bragging rights on offer tonight – don’t be surprised if this one is a cracker.
Richard will be with you shortly but in the meantime, check out what the always brilliant David Squires had to say about the opening weekend of A-League action.
Also (if you haven’t yet) - prepare for the start of the A-League season by casting your eyes over our full team previews:
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