Brisbane Roar aim to make the Grand Final for the second consecutive year - can they win the A-League? (AAP Image/ Patrick Hamilton)
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Fiery Brisbane striker Besart Berisha has been told to control himself better after sparking an ugly post-match melee in the Roar’s dramatic A-League escape-act against Sydney FC.
Two goals in the last minute of injury time gave the Roar an astonishing 2-1 comeback victory over the Sky Blues at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
In crazy scenes reminiscent of last season’s grand final, Berisha headed home the match-winner in the dying seconds before triggering the emotion-charged melee.
The Albanian international had words with Sydney defender Pascal Bosschart after the final whistle when he’s understood to have responded to an incident during the match and offered to meet the Dutchman in the change room.
Berisha ran from the field and then players and officials from both camps came together as tempers flared on the sidelines.
Sydney’s goalkeeper Liam Reddy, a former Brisbane player, and his ex-team-mate Mitch Nichols, who helped set up the winning goal, were in the thick of the skirmish, while Berisha was restrained by non-playing team-mate James Meyer.
Roar midfielder Massimo Murdocca was unaware of what sparked the conflict but felt Berisha, who overcame a calf injury to play, needed to rein in his natural passion.
“I think Besart has got to try and control himself a little bit,” Murdocca said. “He’s a fiery character but look we love him as a player and he’s the sort of player we want up front.”
Brisbane coach Ange Postecoglou was disappointed by the spiteful scenes which tarnished a thrilling climax to a gripping match.
“We do a lot of things really well in our game but fighting isn’t one of them – we should leave that to other sports,” Postecoglou said.
“The vision I saw, Bess shouldn’t have gone over there (to Bosschart).
“There was enough going around but I don’t think anything happened.
“If (Berisha) has crossed the line I’ll address it with him, but at the moment I’ll let things die down and get the information we need and go from there.”
Brisbane’s unlikely victory was set up by a brilliant Mohamed Adnan free kick in the 94th minute when the impressive Bahraini defender lobbed the Sydney wall and gave Reddy no chance.
The Sky Blues, who hit the lead with a 39th-minute strike from Mark Bridge, were left gutted by the defeat after looking certainties to snap their six-match victory drought.
“We couldn’t ask anything more of our own performance,” said captain Terry McFlynn. “Everything that we could do we did tonight.”
Brisbane’s win cut frontrunners Central Coast’s lead to six points at the top of the competition after the Mariners were held to a 1-1 draw with Newcastle.
While the Roar surprisingly started the match with Berisha, German playmaker Thomas Broich and Brazilian striker Henrique were eased back from injuries off the bench to lift their side in the second half.
© AAP 2012Recommend this story.
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January 15th 2012 @ 1:33pm
oikee said | January 15th 2012 @ 1:33pm | Report comment
Hey Qantas, they are building up a good rivalry. What is it about QLD NSW, Brisbane Sydney. We are like naughty little brothers, always trying to out do each other. This is brewing nicely i would say, i can see big crowds turning up one day for our petty rivalry across the border. Berisha on the highlight reels.
Good stuff.
January 15th 2012 @ 1:41pm
Qantas supports Australian Football said | January 15th 2012 @ 1:41pm | Report comment
Yes Oikee—-a healthy hatred is developing nicely—like in the SoO—the Cane Toads vs the Cockroaches..
January 15th 2012 @ 2:58pm
jamesb said | January 15th 2012 @ 2:58pm | Report comment
looking at the highlights, it looked as though it was the A-League grand final all over again.
What a difference Broich makes to the side.
I agree with Realfootball, they Roar need another attacking playmaker just in case Broich is out with injury. Brisbane do play go attractive football, but you also need the right players to do that.
If Broich is playing, Brisbane will be hard to beat. Without Broich, I think Mariners would be favourites
January 15th 2012 @ 5:10pm
Punter said | January 15th 2012 @ 5:10pm | Report comment
Great excitment, poor result.
January 15th 2012 @ 8:18pm
Briskat said | January 15th 2012 @ 8:18pm | Report comment
That is the best Liam Reddy has played for the Roar. He only has to land the ball on the field and he couldn’t do that.
January 16th 2012 @ 12:42am
JohnL said | January 16th 2012 @ 12:42am | Report comment
A precedence was set when Muscat wasn’t punished when he punch a Brisbane Roar coaching staff member after a game last season. I fail to see how the MRP can punish Berisha for something less than that.
January 16th 2012 @ 9:35am
Futbanous said | January 16th 2012 @ 9:35am | Report comment
As a fan certainly an emotional rollercoaster. However it was obvious that when Broich & Henrique came on some dynamic changed.
In simplistic terms before that point possession & penetration were like opposite magnetic poles. Loads of possession until the final third,but the Roar were repelled easily by the disciplined Sydney defensive wall. Something we’ve seen quite regularly since the dynamic duo have been injured. Then possession & penetration through the wall,because both players have the ability to create space take on players to get inside the penalty area.Issy & Visconte try their best but they don’t measure up in this respect.
For me players at this level don’t have the ability generally to pass their way to goal,something the Roar seems to religiously adhere to,on Ange’s instructions I presume. Crosses seem totally forbidden. He has been fortunate then to secure Broich & to a lesser degree Henrique,players who can breach the wall.
The difficulty as we’ve found given the salary cap is having adequate back ups. Broich is a player from another level who we were fortunate enough to obtain because his personality is more suited to Australia than the cut throat football scene of German Football.
Ange knows what he wants. As a fan I can only hope he gets it given our restrictions.
Getting back to the end of the match,little seems to have been said about the standing ovation given to the players. The first time I’ve seen fans stay back in numbers for a regular match & applaud the players effort. The players themselves ran around the field acknowledging the crowd.
Unusual scenes for anything other than a Grand Final win in Australia.
As a fan that was my overwhelming impression of the end of the match, Berisha & the sideshow were just that.
January 16th 2012 @ 5:45pm
Roon said | January 16th 2012 @ 5:45pm | Report comment
…First time in 15 days fans stay back in numbers for a regular match & applaud the players effort. The players themselves ran around the field acknowledging the crowd, just like New Years Eve.
Unusual scenes for anything other than a home win in Brisbane…
There, fixed.
January 16th 2012 @ 6:10pm
Futbanous said | January 16th 2012 @ 6:10pm | Report comment
Not quite fixed Roon. The emotion at the end of the New years Eve match was but a pale imitation compared to after the SFC win. Of course the circumstances were different. The standing ovation went on for some considerable time & the numbers staying behind were considerably larger than New Years Eve. You may see it differently ,but that was my experience of attending both matches.
Chalk & cheese in terms of emotional output from us the fans.
January 18th 2012 @ 7:12pm
Roon said | January 18th 2012 @ 7:12pm | Report comment
Sorry, I wasn’t up in the Platinum / corporate seats – I only saw what happened after both games from down the Den end.
How does a standing golf-club clap ovation sound?
January 19th 2012 @ 10:23am
Futbanous said | January 19th 2012 @ 10:23am | Report comment
Roon
Neither was I (in the platinum seats) sit in the same priced seats as yourself at the other end.
Have been quite impressed by the Den in recent times,compared to the past.
Keep up the good work as it enhances the experience for the rest of the fans.