By AAP
December 27th 2009 @ 1:16am
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Culina injury sours Gold Coast’s big win
A knee strain sustained by international Jason Culina took a lot of gloss away from a rampant Gold Coast United’s 5-1 trouncing of the Brisbane Roar in the M1 derby at Skilled Park on Saturday night.
Culina, whose clever work highlighted a wonderful comeback from the home side, finished the match with ice on his right knee after he twisted the joint late in the match.
The Coast skipper said he could hardly walk and expressed concern, which puts in doubt his immediate United program as well as Australia’s Asian Cup qualifier against Kuwait on January 6.
Another United casualty was slippery Ivory Coast winger Adama Traore, who sustained a suspected broken ankle in the first half.
The injury concerns aside, it was an emphatic result for United, who have built up a tremendous rivalry with the Roar in their first season.
United were forced to came from behind, coughing up a goal to Matt McKay in the seventh minute.
But central defender Kristian Rees’s first goal for his new club, netted in stoppage time just before halftime, proved to be the spark that ignited what had been a spluttering United engine room.
United ran riot in the second half as super striker Shane Smeltz nabbed a hat-trick, taking his season tally to 18 – and surprise packet Rees scored a second with a deft touch on the outside of his right foot.
It was a comeback that had United’s best home crowd of the year, 10,024, in full voice.
Beaten coach Ange Postecoglou was baffled by events after halftime because, as he rightly pointed out, the Roar looked well in control before the big break, suddenly imploding to suffer their worst loss in A-League competition.
“It was a big game for us and we fell short, well short,” said Postecoglou, unable to pinpoint reasons for the sudden collapse.
“They were the better side. We just capitulated all over the place.
“They are a good side and sometimes you’ve just got to put your hand up and say they were too good for us.”
In the opposite camp, colourful coach Miron Bleiberg was in a bullish mood after such a comprehensive result against one of his former clubs.
“Game, set and match, thank you ball boys, thank you sponsors, that’s 3-0,” was how he began his media conference, referring to United’s season record against the Roar.
“On a more serious note, Bleiberg said he felt his side had the momentum after the late first-stanza equaliser, but he also said a plan to exploit Roar defender Michael Zullo was pivotal to the comeback, especially when Culina pushed forward on the right side and the gaps opened up.”
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KB said | December 27th 2009 @ 8:38am | Report comment
It certainly was a game of two halfs and United were unstoppable from when the first half added-on-time equaliser to the end of the next 45 minutes—-a great performance by United and the atmosphere was a testament to the fact of an awesome display by GCU FC, albeit some very concerning injury worries to Traore and Culina…
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KB
David said | December 27th 2009 @ 9:04am | Report comment
Oh dame! beating Kuwait is going to come down to Vidoic and Jedi and a bunch of A-league guys, but wil win this time cause we got Vidoic and Jedi to push us over the line. Jedi will defend Vidoic will dribble and score =)
Footbal Person said | December 27th 2009 @ 9:51am | Report comment
WOO over 10 K sowed up !
Al said | December 27th 2009 @ 11:55am | Report comment
Unfortunately at least half of the crowd were Brisbane supporters. The FFA made a huge mistake, the gold coast is not a sporting city, it is many things (mostly bad) but a city that will turn out to watch association football it is not. It is not too late to relocate this side to Wollongong for example at season’s end as the Gold Coast public have show that they don’t deserve an A-League club. On the up side, hopefully the afl team goes belly up pretty quick.
KB said | December 27th 2009 @ 2:36pm | Report comment
Don’t worry Big Al, the AFL ghost team surely will go belly up with ex Bronco Karmichael Hunt as its inaugural captain…
bever fever said | December 27th 2009 @ 5:05pm | Report comment
Funny how you back up Al on wishing a team that has not even played a game yet to go belly up, but not question him over disparaging remarks regarding your own soccer team.
If MC or redb has made the same remarks you would be frothing at the mouth, but if its stated from a anti-AFL poster it suddenly becomes OK.
KB said | December 28th 2009 @ 8:08am | Report comment
Well deep down Big Al knows that isn’t going to happen; Football on the Gold Coast is here to stay and the other game they play with a thing has already had 3 teams come and go… GCU FC’s 10+ k was fantastic …
David said | December 27th 2009 @ 3:27pm | Report comment
i agree i think the FFA had no idea this season with the expansions a melbourne club should of be put up we have plenty of football suporters and only one team unlike qld 3 teams not many supporters!
AndyRoo said | December 27th 2009 @ 5:43pm | Report comment
the Melbourne club is coming into the league for season 6….which is exactly the first possible season it was allowed as their was a 5 years exclusiity clause given to each team.
Bne and Gold coast have management issues which will hopefully be corrected in time and a place like Nth Qld is just like CCM. Will be a slow builder and one for the future.
turfwars said | December 27th 2009 @ 9:32pm | Report comment
the game showed the FFA that people will come. the ticket prices were down the game was played earlier(5pm) instead of the usual 8pm and the crowds came. the walk ups were more than expected despite weather threatening
the pitch was in great shape and helped for a fast game.
the bottom line is that GCU were too good. love them or hate them they will be a contender for the finals.
chook said | December 29th 2009 @ 8:49am | Report comment
oh dear….thats a killer I thought the roar played an excellent game against the fury and after the goal up by Matt McKay I thought we could take it home. But 5 goals is not a good sign. Good result for GCU roar are back to the drawing board on defence with out Moore. Moore has been linked with Motherwell or a dutch club next year….