Sydney FC have added another win to their ledger in comfortable fashion, defeating the Brisbane Roar 3-1 on Saturday night.
Final score
Sydney FC 3
Brisbane Roar 1
It looks like a mismatch, but Sydney FC will still be cautious as they look to reclaim their spot at the top of the table against an injury-ravaged Brisbane Roar. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:50pm (AEDT).
The defending champions came into the round on top, but lost that spot after the Newcastle Jets put four goals past Melbourne Victory on Thursday.
They have been in superb form again this year – maybe not quite as strong as last season – but still at the top of the competition have won five and drawn one of their first seven games.
Sydney are also coming off victory over Adelaide United in the FFA Cup final.
Certainly, the attack for the Sky Blues hasn’t been quite as dominant, only running up 11 goals in their first seven games of the season, but their defence has been outstanding and the reason why they sit up the top.
They hold the best defensive record in the competition, having only let in four goals. Andrew Redmayne has been fantastic in front of goal for Graham Arnold’s men, but they may come out with a more attacking focus here. Bobo has been good, but it’s time for others, including captain Alex Brosque to stand up.
While Massimo Maccarone and Avraam Papadopoulos have both made strong starts to the season for the Queensland side, they have struggled for the most part, their defence leaky at the best of times.
It’s hardly a surprise, given key defenders Daniel Bowles and Luke DeVere have been sitting on the sidelines among a host of others.
John Aloisi’s men have just not been on the same level as most teams they have come up against, the club winning just one of their first seven games. They have hung in well to draw three of those, keeping them off the bottom of the table, but they will be looking push back into the top six away from home here.
If that’s going to happen, they need their makeshift defensive line to stand up and Maccarone to take over at the front. If he can’t bang home a couple of goals in what is likely to be a more free-flowing style of match then Brisbane will be in for a long night,
Prediction
Brisbane are struggling with injuries and a weakened back three could provide the opportunity Sydney need to hit their way back into form. This could be a flogging.
Sydney 4 – Brisbane 0.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of the A-League from 7:50pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
No. Simon's CAR is a joke.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
What a shame its not big enough to put Victorian Rules posts at either end. I know the AFL have so little money and need hundreds of millions more of government money to help them out, poor fellas.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
Brillante has been one of SFC's best buys in recent years and one day he will wear the grun und gelb von Australien.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
I thought all the VAR decisions so far have been spot on. You can see quite clearly in slo mo replays whether the ball has touched the hand, whether the tackle was reckless, whether someone spat at the player or not, etc, etc. It's picking up things the referee, the players and the fans didn't see in real time. For me the VAR has been an outstanding success form the day it was intoduced into the A-League.
Cool N Cold
Guest
Mark Bosnich,"BRISBANE Roar’s performance against Sydney FC was slammed by Fox Sports football expert Mark Bosnich, who labelled them “pathetic” and “insipid” in the 3-1 loss." Ref: https://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league/brisbane-roar-slammed-by-mark-bosnich-after-sydney-fc-loss/news-story/aa918573ed099d672014dbf765e4be73
LuckyEddie
Guest
VAR has decided you need a red card, and your mum called she got a doctors appointment for you.
Nemesis
Guest
"Clearly wrong" means 100% of people say "that was a wrong decision", because of things like: * wrong player given Red * ref thought player challenged legally, but video replay shows he went in studs up, missed the ball & made forceful impact with opponent's groin * etc. Give me 1 example of VAR not being effective for Red card incidents.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
FIFA state on their website that “The role of the VAR is to ensure that no clearly wrong decisions are made in conjunction with sending off or not sending off a player.” VAR has not helped in fact the way it is being used will only frustrate players and fans.
Scott Pryde
Expert
They certainly did JB - Oversight on my behalf, but it doesn't exactly seem to be troubling them!
j,binnie
Guest
Scott -With all this talk about an injury ravaged Roar team did you notice the group of Sydney players sitting in the stand, Zullo,Nincovic,Grant, and with Bobo on the bench I think it would be correct to say Sydney had their own injury problems as well. Cheers jb..
Nemesis
Guest
Why don't people read the information about VAR & then they won't have ridiculous ideas about VAR. VAR is just the ability of a ref to have a video replay review of 4 specific incidents to see whether he got the facts right. If the facts are as he thought they were, then VAR will not interfere to over rule the decision. If the Video replay shows the facts the ref used to make the decision are incorrect, then the VAR will interfere. The VAR basically gives the ref the same vision as we have on TV. Then, just like fans have different opinions on what they saw, the ref will also have his own opinion. The ref's opinion matters.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
In its current incarnation, VAR has not eliminated subjective decision making. Deciding on what is a red/yellow card is a subjective decision. VAR won’t fix that. It can determine with precision, whether a ball has crossed a line, touched somebody’s hand, etc but it can’t tell you whether an action was intentional or accidental.
Tezza
Guest
Stuart,absolutely disgusting act from papadopoulos.I think the match review committee should deal with him harshly and I'm a roar fan. Simon had every right to be upset.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Well, that'll do it this evening on The Roar for our live coverage of the 2017-18 A-League season as Sydney FC hammered Brisbane Roar 3-1. Hopefully you enjoyed the coverage. Tomorrow, there's more football coming your way. First, at 4pm (AEDT), Nick Rupolo will take you through the Matildas second game against China, before Alan Kearney brings the game between Adelaide United and Western Sydney Wanderers to you from 7pm (AEDT). As for me - I'm off on holidays for a week. My next blog will be the Rugby League World Cup Final next Saturday evening from 8pm (AEDT) as Australia take on England. Until next time, Bye for now.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Only Matty could produce a touch like that and a red in the same game. The wizard of woy woy at his best. I tipped a draw. Idiot.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Simon was pretty good tonight fellas. Played strongly in the first half as well without being absolutely spectacular. Until his red card anyway.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thoughts on the game Roarers? Plenty to talk about with the penalty and pair of red cards.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
Didn’t see much of the first half but caught a replay of Matty laying off an exquisite ball to Carney for a goal. ‘Exqusite’ and ‘Matty Simon’ somehow don’t seem to go together but heck, there’s always a first time :)
Scott Pryde
Expert
Josh Brillante named man of the match. He was superb tonight.
kingcowboy
Guest
Stuart you knock them. Biting and spitting I can’t stand. That Sydney player did nothing wrong. He grabbed his shirt.