Two superb individual strikes have handed Brisbane Roar their third straight defeat, losing 2-0 to Sydney FC at Suncorp Stadium tonight.
Marc Janko’s long-range volley and a Milos Dimitrijevic lob after the break consigned the Hyundai A-League Champions to defeat in Mike Mulvey’s 50th match in charge of the club.
The visitors started the match quickest and it was up to Brisbane skipper Matt Smith to keep it scoreless early, retreating smartly to clear Janko’s effort off the line.
Thomas Broich and Corey Gameiro then traded shots around the 25-minute mark, before Austria captain Janko opened the scoring with a spectacular volley from near halfway.
Dimitri Petratos almost hit back with a sharp effort on the turn but Vedran Janjetovic’s fingertips maintained Sydney’s 1-0 lead at the break.
A handball on the edge of the area allowed Broich to tee up Luke Brattan shortly after the restart with a free kick but the midfielder’s low drive was blocked on the line.
Sydney were able to take the sting out of Roar’s comeback in the 54th minute when Dimitrijevic found space to lift a delicate finish over ‘keeper Jamie Young and make it 2-0.
A well-organised Sydney defence proved difficult to break down following the second goal despite the injection of energetic Young Socceroos striker Brandon Borrello.
The substitute had a shot blocked inside the area while Petratos almost squeezed one in at the near post, but Brisbane was unable to pull one back as the visitors held firm to see out the result.
Brisbane Roar 0
Sydney FC 2 (Marc JANKO 28’, Milos DIMITRIJEVIC 54’)
Hyundai A-League Round 3 2014/15 season
Friday, 24 October at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Peter Green
Brisbane Roar: 2. Matthew SMITH (c), 3. Shane STEFANUTTO, 7. Mensur KURTISHI (12. Jean Carlos SOLORZANO), 8. Steven LUSTICA (28. Brandon BORRELLO 63’), 10. HENRIQUE (11. Liam MILLER 78’), 13. Jade NORTH, 15. James DONACHIE, 18. Luke BRATTAN, 21. Jamie YOUNG (gk), 22. Thomas BROICH, 23. Dimitri PETRATOS
Substitutes not used: 11. Liam MILLER, 19. Jack HINGERT, 30. Matthew ACTON (gk)
Yellow cards: Steven LUSTICA 52’, Luke BRATTAN 63’
Red cards: Nil
Sydney FC: 2. Sebastian RYALL, Sasa OGNENOVSKI, 4. Predrag BOJIC, 7. Corey GAMEIRO (12. Hagi GLIGOR 89’), 8. Milos DIMITRIJEVIC, 11. Bernie IBINI-ISEI, 14. Alex BROSQUE (c), 17. Terry ANTONIS, 20. Vedran JANJETOVIC (gk), 21. Marc JANKO (13. Christopher NAUMOFF 78’), 22. Ali ABBAS
Substitutes not used: 1. Ivan NECEVSKI (gk), 16. Alexander GERSBACH, 25. Aaron CALVER
Yellow cards: 18. Bernie IBINI-ISEI 18’, 20. Vedran JANJETOVIC 76’
Red cards: Nil
