Glory in the AFC Asian Champion’s League is now no more than a pipe dream for Brisbane Roar, having lost 1-2 to Ulsan Hyundai in Queensland overnight.
With Brisbane Roar, whose logo is a lion, taking on Ulsan Hyundai whose mascot is the horangi (or tiger) the encounter was a deadest cat fight, and it proved to be just as feisty and intense.
It was a sluggish start from Brisbane. On a slow and rugged pitch that saw the ball bobble and bounce unpredictably, the Roar’s style of play was tested very early and it took a while before they clicked into gear. However it wasn’t until the 11th minute, the time of Ulsan’s first goal, that this occurred.
Under attack from two Ulsan players, in what was a far too frequent scene on the night, Mitch Nichols coughed up the ball in his own half, which allowed Colombian Juan Estiven Velez to score an unbelievable goal from well outside the area.
The Hyundai A-League grand finalists were no doubt rattled by the goal, but from there looked far more determined despite relentless pressure from a much improved Korean outfit.
Brisbane persisted and the home side were rewarded for their urgency fifteen minutes later, albeit from a most unlikely candidate.
Former Fury player and current Roar left back Shane Stefanutto scored his very first goal in orange colours, and just his third for his career, with an attempted cross that had enough side spin to sneak into the net, much to the surprise of goalkeeper Seunggyu and even Stefanutto himself.
After the break, with the scores level and the game there for the taking, both teams were showing their intent to win stepping it up a notch to produce highly entertaining, end-to-end football.
Tensions on the pitch increased, with Ivan Franjic and Besart Berisha in particular growing increasingly frustrated with Ulsan players diving, feigning injury and wasting time. Berisha even earnt a yellow card before time-on in the second half for mouthing off at his opponents huddling before kick-off.
At one point, while referee Torki Mohsen checked an Ulsan player with cramp, behind the Iranian’s back a push and shove erupted between opposing players, with the Bahraini international Adnan stepping in to prevent the situation from escalating.
Unfortunately Adnan would leave an undesirable mark on the game, not from a brilliant free kick or leaping header, but for a clumsy challenge in the box that gave Ulsan the golden opportunity to take the lead from the spot kick.
Captain Taewhi stepped up and converted the penalty with ease, sending Michael Theoklitos the wrong way in the 73rd minute to give the Koreans a 2-1 lead, and ultimately, victory.
There was a flurry of opportunities for Brisbane in the final ten minutes but the Roar just couldn’t find another equaliser; once again in the ACL falling disappointingly short in a game they could well have won.
Within Group F, Ulsan Hyundai and FC Tokyo are now far ahead on eight points, while Brisbane Roar sit just above Beijing Guoan on goal difference with each having just two points.
Only two matches are left to be played by each team in the group stage. Brisbane will next face FC Tokyo in Japan on May 2 and Beijing in China on May 16.
Though it is still mathematically possible for Brisbane to make the top two, it is very unlikely they will be able to make up the point and goal deficit.
It may be a deflating result, but rest assured, as Roar coach Ange Postecoglou confirmed post-match, last night was no stumbling block on the road to Sunday’s Hyundai A-League grand final.
j binnie
Guest
Nathan- Don't quite follow your interpretation of your "magic book". I would have thought that a deliberate pass back (by the foot) to the goalkeeper and, deliberately handling of the ball ( reaching up,out,or down to stop it's progress) are offences that would require NO interpretation, after all, they are clear cut offences. I used the word "intentionally",not with the rule book in mind but a given situation on a field. I'll try again using mini - movement analysis.. The attacker ,after jinking and feinting, attempts to pass the defender by pushing the ball past the defenders left leg. The defender pokes out his leg and connects with the ball sending it away at right angles to the path the attacker is trying to take.At this point the attacker has lost control of the ball for it is no longer within reach. However, because of the attackers forward momentum ,he trips over the outstretched leg that has taken possession away from him. To me my friend, that,as described, is not a penalty kick but as I have just analysed ,and interpreted it, differently from the referee,the subject becomes debatable. Hence the simple question about "intent" in the actions of the defender, "did he intend to trip the player in an effort to stop that attacker's progress,or ,did he rob that player of possession in a legal manner". IMO - the answer is the latter,- no penalty. jb
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Important to remember intention means nothing. According to the Magic Book, only deliberately kick to keeper and deliberately handling the ball infringements rely on interpreting intentions and this ain't one.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
From what I saw on the highlights, that penalty was there, it really wasn't even controversial.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
PeterK There used to be 3 Euro competitions in the 70s, 80s & some of the 90s. 1. European Champion Clubs' Cup (European Cup) * only open to champions of UEFA leagues * 2 leg knock-out competition until Semi-Final stage (home & away) * 1 Grand Finale at pre-determined venue 2. UEFA Cup (also known as Inter-Cities Fairs Cup) * from memory was open to runners-up in UEFA leagues * 2 leg knock-out competition * the Grand Finale was also 2-leg (home & away) I recall Ipswich Town winning in 1981 under Bobby Robson 3. Cup Winners Cup * open to the cup winners in UEFA leagues * 2 leg knock-out competition until Semi-Final stage (home & away) * 1 Grand Finale at pre-determined venue
Futbanous
Guest
Both were knockout competitions though until the nineties.
Futbanous
Guest
PeterK Correct the other was the European Cup winners Cup. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Cup_Winners'_Cup
Futbanous
Guest
j binnie Unfortunately not, but watched the Adelaide game. Your observations sound very much as though they could have been equally applied to Adelaide vs Gamba Osaka in the 2008 ACL final. I remember thinking along those lines. Hope your right about the Roar. My gut feeling is that were a few quality players short of making the flashes become the norm.
PeterK
Guest
nordster, I think you're right that it's "easier to accommodate the clash at our end". Before our finals series we already know the dates of the ACL matches. Our own finals matches surely could be fitted better into the ACL schedule, rather than the reverse, even bearing in mind the need to satisfy TV scheduling requirements. I can't see a problem with a week (or two) free of our own comps while the ACL matches take place I don't agree with some that our clubs would be better off if there was no domestic comp while they were involved in Asia. If that were the case then we'd be complaining that our clubs aren't getting match practice at home in between their ACL fixtures.
PeterK
Guest
Futbanous, I have the feeling that in Europe there used to be two club competitions -- a KO comp for winners of the various KO cups, and a round-robin for the various premiers of the leagues. Whether that's so or not, it could be a thought for Aia: two separate comps. But I'm not too sure what happens if the same club wins the premiership and the championship -- maybe it's not a problem? It'd be a shame though to not have three clubs in Asia as we have this year.
j binnie
Guest
Yes cattery,it is a risky proposition,no doubt, especially if you DON'T connect with the ball but,---Adnan DID,not with a toenail, but with his boot, for the ball had almost reached Smith when the ref gave the penalty. The standard of refereeing in this game left a lot to be desired. It was evident from the first whistle that Broich was a marked man and didn't they mark him ,I lost count of the time he was brought down. Punishment dished out? To the consistent foulers,nil. To Berisha for telling him,the ref, to hurry the opponents along after half time???????A yellow card..Not an excuse just an observation jb.
j binnie
Guest
Striker - A pass can be "bad" for various reasons, the ball being mis-directed to an opponent is the main one,but there is a subtle difference when the player for whom the pass is intended stands and waits for the ball to reach him. At the level of football we are now watching in the HAL and ACL that can be a fatal error and it was evident in this game when Nichols allowed himself to be caught flat footed waiting for Adnan's pass to reach him. Now to your statement. If you think Adnan's passing was bad last night I would advise you to learn how to "chart" a players passing in order to test his accuracy.Write down the names of all the players and put a tick next to their name every time they send a ball to an opponent or send it out of play.(bad passing). You may get a surprise when you learn that many Roar players in this game were every bit as bad ,if not worse, than Adnan. And that factor my friend is where the Roar's game is at present breaking down for Ange's philosophy is based on possession, ie based on fast accurate movement of the ball to get it behind a defending team as quickly and as often as possible.Murdocca played one outstanding pass in the whole game,it was quick,perfectly placed and weighted, and ---Roar scored.There were not too many passes like that on the night,????? jb
The Cattery
Roar Guru
jb that's precisely the problem, as you say, he "poked" a leg out, pretty much across the legs of his opponent, and perhaps got a toenail to the ball, but to poke your leg out inside the box is always a risky proposition
j binnie
Guest
Futbanous I hope you watched the 5-0 demolition job done on CCM last night ,for their opponents showed all over the field exactly what we have been talking about,movement into space, creating options for the ball carrier,fast ,crisp,one touch passing, with the emphasis most of the time on getting the team moving forward. Ok, they had a few "foreigners" playing in their team who were the team's outstanding players but no more so than Broich,Henrique, and Berisha can be for Roar if we can get the "local" content of the Roar team to play their possession football the way CCM's opponents did last night.Believe me I don't think that's as far away as one could imagine, they have shown it in flashes before but not in a consistent manner. jb
j binnie
Guest
Cattery, Adnan did not tackle his opponent. In coaching terms a "tackle" occurs when two opponents meet with the ball between them and at the point of contact one player has the sense to "flick" the ball, and in doing so, wins possession of the ball. In this case the winger tried step overs and feints in an attempt to get Adnan off balance and nearly succeeded but the tall man poked a leg out,connected with the ball and sent it towards Smith at right angles to the wingers running direction.Inevitably,with the ball lost,the winger proceeded to trip over the leg that had sent the ball away from his feet. The base question on the total move is - Did Adnan intentionally set out to trip the winger and in doing so stop him in an illegal manner. IMO he did not, he played at the ball,connected, and in doing so robbed the winger of possession. With the benefits of hind sight and instant replays the whole movement can be split into milli-seconds and there is no doubt that Adnan connected with the ball taking it away from the attackers path,not really a tackle as described but in fact ball interception, which is a totally different thing in football.So you see it doesn't matter if the attacker trips over the leg that has robbed him of the ball it is the fact that the attacker is no longer in control of that ball that is the crux of the matter.jb
Futbanous
Guest
j binnie Here it is if you havent seen it & have time,just scroll down the page a bit. Talks about lateral rather than horizontal,then vertical:- http://www.behindthegoals.net/2012/03/asian-champions-league-reflections.html
Bondy
I notice Gorman wanting to revamp the HAL final series (http://www.smh.com.au/sport/football/ffa-to-shrink-finals-series-in-revamp-20120417-1x5m2.html) . I agree .
Bondy
I agree Kwak was very crisp last night .
Futbanous
Guest
Have to agree unfortunately jb. As a fan it irks me somewhat to see this from my view,non movement forward.,the pass back then across then the other teams regrouped as you mention. It irks me even more because the reality is to step up to the movement level you talk about & Ange must desire you need a better quality of player & far greater ball skills than many of the Roar players possess & I include Mitch in that. As we have a salary cap & our youth players still arent up to it it seems a way off. I remember Stanley Matthews being asked what was his secret his answer "Skill at speed". He meant at the time skill on the ball with speed. In todays modern football that also means movement off the ball as well as on it. Berisha reminds me of a kid I used to coach. Called him the pin ball wizard. He could run all day at speed,movement galore annoyed the hell out of other kids, but he had no ball skills whatsoever. Difference is Berisha has ball skills & 90% of his movement is wasted IMO. HIs job is to score goals not chase the ball like a lunatic. Craig Foster talked about this(passing back across) after the FC Tokyo match so I suppose it correalates what you mention. Calls it horizontal rather than vertical play. For me in simplistic terms means lack of penetration. See if I can find the segment from TWG.
Titus
Guest
AFC have knocked it on the head according to SBS.
Graham White
Guest
we need to improve by 5% in all areas in every game really. Some of those losses could have been draws and draws could have been wins. But we are still a young league. We'll also have enough pride to beat asian teams without resorting to diving. 10 000 people were there last night to watch football. There is a great theater down the road if they want to watch acting!