The Brisbane Roar return home after an opening round loss, and they will be host to Adelaide United who were good value for their opening Round 1 draw away from home. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:50pm (AEDT).
Brisbane will be looking to put in a much more impressive performance at home than the one they offered on the first Friday night of season 2017/18. Melbourne City held the game on their terms, and Brisbane were always chasing the game.
Adelaide on the other hand will be asking questions of the FFA about an opening two rounds that has seen them have to make two of their longest away trips back to back, with only a five day turnaround.
Karim Matmour looked good in the first round, if unable to get on the scoresheet, so he will be hoping to get off the mark for his new club.
The same will be the case for Massimo Maccarone, who gesticulated with the best of them in Round 1, but other than two minor shots on target, created little of note. You would think he is hoping that on the back of good home crowd support, he will receive better distribution than he got against Melbourne.
John Aloisi should expect a very, very big response from his side. Undoubtedly, Aloisi will have advised Matt McKay (who is still searching for his 100th A League career win) and Ben Khalfallah during the week exactly what he demands in round 2, and they should be eager to deliver.
Prediction
The real question will be how well Adelaide back up from a first up trip to Wellington. If they can find a way to recover from a short turnaround from an overseas trip, they should trouble Brisbane.
Meanwhile, the Roar, at home, eager to redeem themselves after round 1, could take advantage of a travel-weary side, with the likes of Khalfallah turning it on.
While Adelaide have won three of their last five games against Brisbane, Brisbane have won three of the last five against Adelaide in Brisbane. Will history mean anything though?
Brisbane 3-1.
Tezza
Guest
Cool, interesting to hear that Aloisi blamed the poor start to the season on a poor off season and pre season, so I wonder who is to blame there?
Pablo
Guest
Newcastle will stuff us at home next week if we play like that again. If we are zero from 3 Aloisi will have lost the supporter base. If you're going to hire your mates and have what appears to be a job for the boys situation you better deliver the results, as you'll be judged a lot harder than if the supporters believed you hired the best people available.
Cool N Cold
Guest
I started watching at around 20 minutes mark. The game tactic was very conservative. Maybe, that was due to a 1-0 lead. That defend-first strategy last to the end anyhow. So, JA has changed the Roar's game a lot from 2 years ago when he took over. Still, the defence is poor. Just cannot understand why after 2 years, the defence is still a problem. I have not watch the last match vs City in Melbourne. However, from the video those goals could be defended. After scrutinizing for a while, the feeling on Calleti has matured. This small player has very good technique (in off ball movement and passing). However, he is too small. He cannot be compared with Massimo Murdocca. Murdocca was speedy and could defend. As for Calleti, he is not good in defence and attack. Still have not seen him making a killer pass. Still have not seen him having created a good chance for his teammate to score. He has no goal yet. He cannot defend. I noticed that the two goals lost last night were related to his inability in defence. Should you watch the video, you notice he was at the vicinity of the Adelaide scoring player. Calleti just could not defend. No idea why Papadopoulos was substituted by Hingert. Usually, defenders are seldom replace unless being injured or playing badly. Why after two years, the defending issues are still not resolved. The issues persist even with a change of playing style from possession and aggressive football to conservative and defending-first like what has shown last night. It seems that JA fails in getting the mid-fielders to team with the defenders. If the style of play is possession-first, like what Ange Postegolou advocate, then there may have 2 mid-field holders, Calleti and Mackay. However, if the style of play is defend-first-and-counter-attack, there is no need to have 2 mid-field holders. The defending issues have to be fixed. There is no need to have 2 mid-field holders, either Calleti or Mackay.
Insideman
Guest
Contrary to Aloisi's comments the Roar are obviously not fit a disgraceful state for a professional outfit. They seem to pick players not on form but reputation of bygone years. How Mckay who is clearly finished was signed on for another year is beyond me. Sad to say but he has had several years in charge and severe doubts must be cast on his ability given that good Roar players leave without any evident coherent recruitment plan.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
The Reds will be pleased with 4 points from consecutive long road trips. There's some bite in this Adelaide side.
Nico
Guest
First game last year had 20k+ so 9k less this time around, support is there, a league just had to sort itself out
TK
Guest
Maybe Mid - bit early to say with certainty. But looking forward to a step up in intensity in entertainment tomorrow night.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w3AY1x6j7g
TK
Guest
7000 members + 4500 non members. It's an NRL town and there's no advertising or support in the state to encourage people to the games. Shame really - that second goal was a cracker - even if it meant we lost.
Midfielder
Guest
The Roars new run on song... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PByxyI5b-7M
Bazz
Guest
Absolutely bizarre that Skapetis got dragged when the old Tunisa could barely walk on the other side of the field.
Midfielder
Guest
The wheeler's only got 11 K tonight ... what is it with Brisbane folk.
TK
Guest
Well that was a disappointment for first home game. Fanatics bar - shut. Members bar - shut sit in the stands watching the crowd dribble in around 11000. Brisbane first half were lively and we thought as long time members that the speed in moving the ball in the front third looked promising. Half time we deserved to be 1 nil up. Then......we were shite. Hardly spent any time in opposition half and invited adelaide into the game. Kallfalah looked as old as he is and did nothing to justify his signing. Mckay looked unfit and the midfield looked largely aimless with poor caletti looking for options that werent there. Skapetis was isolated on the flanks and should be more central. The fridge on legs dagistino was uninspiring. Maccarone was good but with little support struggled for useful interplay. By 70 minutes my tip for a draw was looking shaky as adelaide completely took over and sure enough we conceeded twice to finish without the chocolates. Dunno why Skapetis got dragged should have been the tunisian. Oh well could be a long season - might need to get the bar situation sorted out to get through. . .
perry cox
Roar Guru
I was playing devil's advocate hogdriller. Anyway, it would have only been yellow, it didn't change the outcome of the game.
perry cox
Roar Guru
Agreed Stevo. Those last ten were all Adelaide.
perry cox
Roar Guru
Well, that game can be perfectly summed up in two statements: play the full 90, and take your chances. Brisbane looked in complete control of that game, or at the very least comfortable that they were going to get the win and the points. An opening early goal to Maccarone set up Brisbane and they looked strong from there. Adelaide dominated possession, but never truly looked like threatening, at least not in that first half. Brisbane looked the better in that early part of the second half, and D'Agostino had the double chance to finish the contest, however Izzo cleaned up his mess, and limited the damage on the scoresheet. Holman came on and livened up the home side, and again, Brisbane could not take their chances. This match will be remembered about those last ten minutes. Adelaide, who for all money should have been dead and buried due to travel, conditions, and chances by the home team, not only found the next level, but they scored, and scored again. Isaias led from the middle, but this match was won on the fringes, and two clinical finishes to Kitto, the super sub, and Absolonsen. The Reds have well and truly earned those three points, and the Aloisi brothers, who will have hated losing to their home town, will head to round 3 without any points. Ben Khalfallah and McKay went missing in that second half, and that will trouble Brisbane, because a lot is riding on them. What a game. A slow burn of a game, with an explosive and utterly fantastic finish. Congratulations Adelaide, you've earned a solid rest over the weekend.
Bazz
Guest
Yup, the Dad's army thing isn't going to go away when your side is completely legless by the 70th min each match.
Fadida
Guest
And old
Bazz
Guest
We've come into this season phenomenally unfit, completely unprofessional for a team playing at this level.
Kangajets
Guest
My fearless prediction last week of the wooden spoon for the roar is on target
Josh Barton
Roar Pro
Why didn't they sub Fahid off? He's been dead on his feet since the 60th minute and added so very little movement and slowed down play. Seems like a tactical blunder to me.