A-League dominators Brisbane Roar delivered a performance befitting their return to Suncorp Stadium and premiership celebrations by routing Gold Coast United on Saturday night.
The Roar put the icing on the premiership cake in style, outclassing their arch-rivals 4-0 before lifting the Premiers Plate in front of an adoring home crowd of 20,831 – the club’s biggest of the season.
It was a display to worry the other A-League finalists as fourth-placed United had no answers in their first derby defeat.
Brisbane, who finished second last in 2009-10, ended the regular season with a 25-match unbeaten streak, including 16 matches at their home fortress where they will be extremely tough to beat in the play-offs.
Their only loss occurred in week six against Melbourne Victory.
The final-round result over the Roar’s bogey team was never in doubt after two wonderful first-half goals as the premiers flexed their muscles against the injury-riddled Coast.
Having to prepare in makeshift dressing rooms for their return to their flood-ravaged home ground had no affect on Brisbane who came out firing from the opening whistle.
The celebrations started after just three minutes when skipper Matt McKay found Kosta Barbarouses, who confounded three United defenders before unleashing a brilliant right footer from the edge of the box into the top corner.
It was the New Zealander’s 11th goal of the season but first since Boxing Day when he helped Brisbane to get out of jail with a 2-2 draw against the Coast.
With the Roar’s midfield dominant and the pace of Barbarouses and Henrique proving an enormous headache for the United defence, the home side had a litany of first half chances.
But it took until midfield anchor Erik Paartalu stepped up just before the main break with an unstoppable volley of high class from a Thomas Broich cross for the lead to grow to 2-0.
Henrique, starting for the first time since breaking his arm in the loss to the Victory, made it 3-0 with another superb strike in the 66th minute.
But it was the final goal which epitomised the night when Barbarouses, McKay and Broich combined to toy with the Coast defence for the German import to score.
“Some silverware is great because I think the club and the fans deserve it,” said McKay.
One of the biggest roars of the night went to goalkeeper Michael Theoklitos who was replaced in the 81st minute after doing all he could to ensure a competition record 12th clean sheet for the season.
The only sore point for Brisbane was a worrying ankle injury to midfielder Mitch Nichols from a late Zenon Caravella tackle.
Coast defender Dino Djulbic claimed “only one team turned up”.
“If we play like this in the finals we can pack our bags and go home,” he said.
Delighted Roar coach Ange Postecoglou admitted he sensed a big finish coming.
“I think it was fitting,” he said. “We’ve been talking about taking it to the next level for a while now and the players did that.
“We’ve been good all year and better than anyone else and I thought it was important we finished it off that way this year and that was an accurate reflection of our season from start to finish.”
While his Gold Coast counterpart, Miron Bleiberg, praised the Roar for producing one of the best performances in an exceptional season, captain Michael Thwaite took issue with Postecoglou replacing Theoklitos, claiming it was a sign of disrespect.
“I think he took the mickey out of us substituting the goalkeeper,” Thwaite said.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen that happen before in a local derby.
“I’m a little bit disappointed in him. But I’m sure we’ll see them again in the finals.”
Brisbane will travel to Gosford next weekend to play the first of their two-leg major semi-final while the Coast, who hope to have Bas van den Brink and Bruce Djite back from injury, will meet the Victory.
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