Luke DeVere’s return to action highlighted Brisbane Roar’s confident 4-0 win over a Football Brisbane Flight Centre Premier League Select side at Queensland Sports & Athletics Centre Stadium.
Luke DeVere’s return to action highlighted Brisbane Roar’s confident 4-0 win over a Football Brisbane Flight Centre Premier League Select side at Queensland Sports & Athletics Centre Stadium.
Brisbane’s Hyundai A-League team were the dominant side throughout the majority of the encounter controlling possession and field position while creating numerous scoring opportunities during the match.
Luke DeVere made his long-awaited return, completing an assured 45 minutes alongside Jade North in the centre of defence for John Aloisi’s men.
The Roar scored two well-taken goals in each half as the team continues to fine-tune preparation for the new Hyundai A-League season starting on October 7 against Melbourne Victory at Suncorp Stadium.
Head Coach John Aloisi was pleased with DeVere’s progress and performance in his first pre-season outing for the side.
“It was good to see Luke back out on the park again, he did well,” Aloisi said.
“He has returned a bit earlier than what we expected, his experience out on the park is important for us.
“You can see that it was only his first start but it was really positive to see him out there.”
Brisbane’s early dominance paid off in the 33rd minute when Dimi Petratos (below) fired a low and hard strike across goalkeeper Jake Reesby to open the scoring.
An on-song Jamie Maclaren was a constant threat in the first half with his clever movement causing the BPL Select defence plenty of problems.
Maclaren was rewarded in the 39th minute when he notched his second goal in two pre-season outings to secure a 2-0 lead for the Roar at the break.
Former Roar player and BPL Select coach Warren Moon introduced an all-new 11 for the second half and the local stars did well to keep Roar scoreless for much of the second stanza.
Constant pressure from the Hyundai A-League side finally took its toll on the BPL Select team though. In the 86th minute defender, Daniel Bowles turned home from close range a perfect low pass from Young Roar’s Jesse Daley.
Roar’s teenage winger Daniel Leck then completed the scoring two minutes later after excellent build-up play by Broich, Daley and Katebian.
Daley (below) and Leck were impressive for the Roar during the second half. An encouraging sign of the club’s depth of young talent.
The senior squad will now return to the training park in preparation for the September 10 pre-season clash against Central Coast Mariners at Spencer Park, Newmarket.
Key Moments:
20’: CHANCE ROAR: Petratos pulls his shot wide of the upright after being picked out by Maclaren’s first time ball across goal.
29’: CHANCE ROAR: Maclaren intercepts Michael Ryan’s intended back-pass, but the defender recovers quickly to snuff out the chance with a last-gasp challenge.
33’: GOAL ROAR: BPL Select are punished for a turnover in their own half as McKay feeds Petratos, who exchanges passes with Borrello before shooting low and hard through the hands of goalkeeper Jake Reesby. 1-0.
39’: GOAL ROAR: Roar’s sweeping move from one end to the other results in Brown picking out Maclaren’s run to the near post for a tidy finish. 2-0.
54’: CHANCE BPL: Sekou Jomanday does well to get a touch on Dan Smith’s cross but the front-man steers the difficult chance beyond the far post.
76’: CHANCE ROAR: Broich slips a pass into the area for lively substitute Daniel Leck, but the young winger’s shot is beaten away by Brandon Cuminao.
85’: CHANCE ROAR: Joey Katebian forces a sharp save from Cuminao after being picked out in the area by Corey Brown.
86’: GOAL ROAR: Jesse Daley slides a perfect low pass across goal which Daniel Bowles tucks home from close-range. 3-0.
88’: GOAL ROAR: Katebian breaks the offside trip and unselfishly lays off the chance to Leck (below) , who applies the simple tap-in. 4-0.
What’s next?
Two pre-season games remain for the Roar with a match against Central Coast Mariners at Spencer Park on Saturday, 10 September (3pm KO) followed by a final exhibition match against PS4 NPL QLD U23 Select on Saturday, 24 September (3pm KO) at QSAC.
Match Stats:
Brisbane Roar FC v Brisbane Premier League Select, Queensland Sports & Athletics Centre, 27 August
Brisbane Roar 4 (Petratos 33’, Maclaren 39’, Bowles 86’, Leck 88’)
Football Brisbane Flight Centre Premier League Select 0
Brisbane Roar FC: 21.Jamie YOUNG (gk) (1.Michael THEO 46’), 3. Luke DEVERE (4. Daniel BOWLES), 5.Corey BROWN, 7.Thomas KRISTENSEN (39.Nathan KONSTANDOLOPOUS 67’), 9.Jamie MACLAREN (33.Joey KATEBIAN), 13.Jade NORTH (35.Cameron CRESTANI 71’), 17.Matt MCKAY (c) (37.Mark RODIC 67’), 19.Jack HINGERT (8. Jacob PEPPER 46’), 22.Thomas BROICH (36.Jesse DALEY 76’), 23.Dimitri PETRATOS (34.Daniel LECK), 28.Brandon BORRELLO (11.Tommy OAR 46’),
BPL Select: 1.Jake REESBY (gk) (23.Brandon CUMINAO 46’), 2.Phil DAVIES (13.Kenya TAKAHASHI 46’), 5.Ajdin FETAHAGIC (3.Greg CHESHIRE 46’), 7.Nathan SHEPHERD (16.Dan SMITH 46’), 8.Dean BRIGGS (17.Sam ROPER 46’), 9.Marco JANKOVIC (19. Max BROWN 46’), 10.Marek MADLE (22.Sekou JOMANDAY 46’), 11.Lewis CAMERON (18.Thomas STRICKLAND 46’), 12. Takumi FUJITANI (Andre BONOTTO), 14.Michael RYAN (15.Uryu NAGTA), 20.Andrew MCCASKILL (21.Riley CAMPBELL)
Referee: Alex King
Assistant Referee 1: Andrew Lindsay
Assistant Referee 2: James Sherry
