Tonight, 2010/2011 Hyundai A-League champions Brisbane Roar and Japanese contenders FC Tokyo will make their debut in the AFC Asian Champions League. Join me from 8.30pm (AEST, 7.30pm local) for live coverage direct from Suncorp Stadium.
With both FC Tokyo and Brisbane Roar having never played each other and having never competed in the ACL, predicting a winner in this encounter is a difficult task.
Brisbane has invigorated the domestic competition with possession football mixed with attacking flair, culminating in victory at one of the most memorable grand finals in the A-League’s young history. Meanwhile, FC Tokyo qualified for the tournament after their triumph in the J. League 2, winning the Emperor’s Cup and ultimately earning them promotion into the top division.
Despite question marks over whether Brisbane’s style of play under coach Ange Postecoglou will hold against pacey, highly skillful and disciplined Asian teams like FC Tokyo, the odds do stack in favour of the men in orange.
Playing on their home turf, in familiarly humid conditions, the Roar also have the advantage of plenty of game time behind them in the lead up to this match, while FC Tokyo have played just twice in 2012, which includes a loss last weekend in the Xerox Super Cup.
An even bigger dilemma for Tokyo is the loss of their star Brazilian Lucas Severino and captain Yohei Kajiyama, who have been injured, leaving Sota Hirayama as the key danger-man for the visitors.
For Brisbane, Mitch Nichols may be out injured but the likes of Thomas Broich, Henrique and Besart Berisha are all in excellent touch and should cause plenty of headaches for Tokyo manager Ranko Popovic.
My tip? The Roar to win it 3-1.
Melanie Dinjaski
Roar Guru
Hahaha! Sorry Nate! You didn't lose dosh because of me did you? I did get pretty close with my crowd prediction however!
Melanie Dinjaski
Roar Guru
Right! Fixed. :)
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Well, rough luck for Brisbane, great work from Adelaide. As a plus, the worst loss of the round was doubtlessly Gamba Osaka going down three-nil to Pohang Steelers; Brisbane can happily say they didn't cop it as badly as that.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
To be fair they obliterated that second division and are now a J1 club.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
I hate to say it, but you are a lousy tipster :D I am never quite so nervous as when you tip the Glory and never so relaxed as when you tip against us!
Roarsome
Guest
Remember that Mark Milligan also came back home as a discarded 2nd div J league player and was treated like a star in the A League. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
dasilva
Guest
At least we can rely on Adelaide showing how it is done in the ACL. They are 1-0 up so far
The Cattery
Roar Guru
It was a bit of an eye opener to see the Tokyo team deal with the best club team we have ever had with relative ease.
Stevo
Guest
Tokyo didn't let them play!
Stevo
Guest
Big thing is for Roar to learn from tonight. Something tells me that a well functioning MV playing a counter attacking game may have opened up Tokyo more than Roar did tonight - did I say that!
Melanie Dinjaski
Roar Guru
Anyway, that's it from me. Hope you've enjoyed the coverage live from Brisbane Stadium (Suncorp). I'll have the reaction from both teams first thing tomorrow morning right here on The Roar. In the end though, a bad start for the ACL campaign for Brisbane Roar, losing 0-2 to FC Tokyo.
jamesb
Guest
problem is in recent times, Brisbane haven't been at their best form. certainly not the form that had them 36 matches unbeaten
Stevo
Guest
Roar was always going to be tested and Tokyo just too technically better - out-Roared Roar
Melanie Dinjaski
Roar Guru
A clinical display from FC Tokyo. Some points worth noting for Brisbane... - Defence really struggled to move it forward. Got a lot of pressure from Japanese forwards. - Passing into the forward third just wasn't there from the likes of Broich, Murdocca, Henrique, etc. - A lot more long balls than we're used to seeing from Brisbane in the A-League. What did you take away from the game? Is this a total fail for Brisbane and the A-League? Or was this to be expected in their first game in the ACL?
Stevo
Guest
Terrific game and Tokyo just too good - scoreboard doesn't lie. Luved Ishikawa's work.
Benicio
Guest
The Roar never looked like they were playing to win. 2nd Tier Japanese side made one of our best teams look very ordinary. Quite humbling TBH
Michael of Brisbane
Guest
Need to step it up or otherwise brisbane is not going to make it past the group stage.
Darko
Guest
Brisbane getting outclassed by a club that was in the second division last season. This will be a big wake-up call to Ange and the Roar.
Melanie Dinjaski
Roar Guru
And that's it folks! FULLTIME! FC Tokyo beat Brisbane Roar 2-0 at home.
Melanie Dinjaski
Roar Guru
Final change. Tokyo's Kawano on for Ishikawa