Roar Guru
Melbourne Victory have remained unbeaten in the 2014/15 season after a scrappy 1-0 win against the Brisbane Roar on Friday night after a 77th minute own-goal from Jade North.
FINAL SCORE:
Melbourne Victory 1
Brisbane Roar 0
Melbourne Victory will want to keep their unbeaten streak alive when they entertain a newly buoyant Brisbane Roar at the Etihad. Join The Roar for live scores from 7:30pm (AEDT).
Sydney FC couldn’t break down a determined but depleted Victory in the Big Blue last weekend. Kevin Muscat’s men are starting to show the kind of resilience the former Socceroo was famous for.
They now have three wins and three draws from the first six matches of the competition. And the home team will revert to full strength when the Roar arrive in town.
Kosta Barbarouses will be back from All Whites duty, Jason Geria, Connor Pain and Scott Galloway from the Olyroos, as well all the rest. Victory at full flight has been a devastating sight so far with this season.
But this game is all about one man – Besart Berisha. The lethal striker faces his old team, Brisbane, for the first time. This is exciting. The electric Albanian has continued at Victory where he left off at Suncorp, scoring goals for fun and terrorising defenders.
He already has five in just six games and he will be pumped to get one over his old team. His reaction if he knocks one into the back of the net will be priceless. Berisha did a fantastic job in his three years with the Roar, helping them to multiple titles, but Victory made a financial offer he couldn’t refuse and Matt Smith and Jade North could be in for a long night.
Brisbane head south after a morale-boosting victory over Newcastle, their first of the season. The Roar had been under tremendous pressure but played the Jets off the park and silenced the critics somewhat.
Newcastle were incredibly poor, to be fair, but the 4-0 result will give the Queenslanders lots of confidence, which cannot be dismissed. It’s exactly what Brisbane needed after four consecutive defeats, with Henrique bagging an exquisite hat-trick.
Victory and the Roar play some of the nicest football in the A-League and this clash should be easy on the eye. Brisbane have the weapons that can trouble the home team, and youngster Brandon Borrello could start again after impressing. Daniel Bowles also made an impact on the right of defence and is likely to be retained.
But just how the Roar keeps out Victory’s fluent attack will be key.
Gui Finkler’s partnership with Berisha, Archie Thompson’s Benjamin Button-like form, the threat of Fahid Ben Khalfallah, the speedy wing play of Barbarouses and Pain, the list goes on. Victory have scored 14 in total this year and only conceded 6.
If Brisbane can stifle them in midfield and close them down up front, then the visitors have a great chance.
Join The Roar for all the action from the Victorian capital from 7:30pm (AEDT).