Brisbane Roar managed to pull off a stunning upset Saturday evening, defeating Sydney FC 4-3 at Allianz Stadium. This hard-fought victory not only marked their first win of the A-League Men season but also ended their 15-match winless streak, breathing new life and confidence back to the Queensland side.
The match was characterized by its roller-coaster scoring, as both teams displayed quick counter-attacking, leaving fans on the edge of their seats. Brisbane opened the scoring early, with Ben Halloran getting on the board just 16 minutes in. After capitalizing on a long ball from their goalkeeper, Macklin Freke, Halloran deftly lifted the ball over Sydney's keeper Harrison Devenish-Meares to put the Roar ahead.
Only five minutes later, young talent Henry Hore doubled the visitors' advantage. Following some uninspired defending from Sydney, Hore received the ball from Jay O'Shea, spun, and fired it high past Devenish-Meares.
Sydney fought back after getting on the scoresheet at the 31-minute mark. Joel King finished off Joe Lolley’s curling cross from the left, slotting the ball home with composure and bringing the Sky Blues back to 2-1. The home crowd erupted, hoping for more to come.
Yet Brisbane wasn’t finished. Just before the halftime break, Adam Zimarino tapped home from close range after Halloran had crossed the ball, pushing the Roar up 3-1. The first half ended with Brisbane taking the lead and controlling the tempo of the game.
The second half seemed to open with the same energy as the first. Lucas Herrington volleyed home from a corner at the 71st minute, increasing Brisbane's lead to 4-1, and making it look like the victory was firmly within their grasp.
But Sydney FC was not willing to give up without a fight. With just ten minutes remaining, Tiago Quintal and Jordan Courtney-Perkins pulled off back-to-back goals, narrowing the margin to 4-3 and igniting hopes of a last-minute draw.
Head coach Ufuk Talay expressed his frustration afterward, stating, "I think from the get-go, we were very lethargic and very slow. We didn’t start the game well...overall from start to finish, we weren’t at the races today.” His sentiment echoed the sentiment felt around the club, having been helmed by six consecutive games without defeat before this match.
Conversely, Brisbane captain Jay O’Shea hailed the victory as integral, saying, "I thought our game plan in the first half was excellent. We got ourselves a couple of goals up and we probably should have won the game more convincingly. It was a bit of ‘squeaky-bum time’ at the end for us...but we’re delighted to get the win. We needed to get it big-time.”
This victory is pivotal. Brisbane Roar had not celebrated a win since their campaign began, finding themselves at the bottom of the league for most of the season, so this triumph over traditionally stronger opponents like Sydney FC reinstates confidence within their ranks. Meanwhile, Sydney’s late-game struggles exposed cracks as they face the possibility of continuing their uphill battle to secure their own spot near the top of the A-League ladder.
The match ended with 10,506 supporters buzzing, and the contrasting emotions between the winning and losing sides painted a vivid picture of the drama encapsulated within the league.
With the fallout from the match stirring reflections on the need for Sydney FC to reassess their game as they forge onward, Brisbane Roar has every reason to remain upbeat as they prepare for what hopefully equals more consistent performances moving forward this season.