If domestic club form is worth anything, then Bruno Fornaroli should be one of the first names on Socceroos coach Graham Arnold’s list for the upcoming Asian Cup in Qatar.
Fornaroli bagged four goals in a game for the second time this season as Melbourne Victory downed Western Sydney Wanderers 4-3 in a thriller in oppressively hot conditions at CommBank Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
More than just proving impossible for the Wanderers defence to contain, it was the fact the 36-year-old still has the ability to get himself into a variety of scoring positions that should have the twice-capped Socceroo on the plane to the Gulf.
Fornaroli hooked home a volley on the rebound, sold a superb dummy before smashing home a scorcher, dispatched a penalty with trademark venom, then headed home his fourth midway through the second half of what was another virtuoso display from the veteran.
And yet, for all Victory’s obvious dominance as they raced out to a 4-1 lead, they still somehow came away from what was a rollercoaster affair in Parramatta somewhat fortunate to have secured all three points.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Had Wanderers substitute Marcus Younis not strayed fractionally offside in a thrilling second half, they wouldn’t have even finished with that – after Western Sydney’s impressive Swedish import Marcus Antonsson tapped home only for Younis to have been ruled offside in the build-up.
Antonsson proved as much of a handful as Fornaroli and finished with a brace of his own, and the Swede’s second goal two minutes from time set up a grandstand finish.
Recent A-League returnee Valentino Yuel duly responded with an acrobatic diving header – but the Wanderers left their run too late and will be bitterly disappointed to have got off to another slow start for the second week in a row.
It was an entertaining affair despite the oppressive heat, and one that should see Fornaroli head to the front of the queue as a ready-made Asian Cup replacement for the injured Brandon Borrello.
Brandon Borrello of the Socceroos celebrates scoring a goal during the International Friendly match between the Australia Socceroos and Ecuador at Marvel Stadium on March 28, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Victory’s narrow win was the second of two away wins for visiting sides on Sunday, after Ross Aloisi returned to his hometown to mastermind a 2-0 victory over Adelaide United at a waterlogged Coopers Stadium.
It wasn’t pretty, but after a deflected Jez Lofthouse strike shortly after the restart put the visitors in front, the outstanding Jay O’Shea then won a penalty soon after – which the Irishman duly dispatched.
And the hosts had no answer once coach Carl Veart hooked the disappointing Nestory Irankunda just before the hour mark, leaving the Reds to crash to their third defeat in their last four league games.
You’d think that with the likes of Joe Gauci, Zach Clough and Irankunda in their starting 11, the Reds should have one of the stronger sides in the league.
Yet they were strangely listless against a Brisbane Roar side that remains a couple of key positions short themselves, and a dreadful opening 15 minutes after the half-time break put paid to any hopes of a home win.
The two games had at least one thing in common, despite being played in vastly different weather, and that was the thousands of empty seats at both venues.
But no one wants to talk about that.
In fact, not a week has gone by this season without someone telling me to “focus on the football”.
But here’s the thing.
I haven’t written a single column this season that hasn’t focussed predominantly on what has happened in the Sunday fixtures.
Yet what happens, every single week without fail, is that readers scan the headline and perhaps as much as the first paragraph – and comment almost exclusively on that.
Why? Because there seems to be next to no interest in talking about the actual football.
It’s not just a problem on The Roar. I can’t remember having ever seen so little online interest in the A-Leagues.
I’d love to sit here and write something like Sid Lowe’s column for The Guardian on La Liga every week.
But no one would read it.
JoshW
Roar Rookie
He has it in for WSW because the club forever destroyed any hope his sport has being noticed in Western Sydney. Imagine spending $250 million to be less popular than bocce.
fabian gulino
Roar Rookie
Hey lionheart I remember what you are saying, now we can't comment like the good old days, I here you brother.
Football Fan
Roar Rookie
Yep, 100% agree with that Sheffield WesDay.
Grem
Roar Rookie
I’d rather take my chances in an active supporters group than at a function where NRL players attend - more of them have been up on assault charges than our fans!
Grem
Roar Rookie
I don’t disagree. I love the chanting and singing, I dislike the chants to other teams telling them to F off home. I’d like to think football followers were more intelligent than that and could have classier, more clever things to sing/say. I’d rather that not happen, but other sports have similar issues. The famous Origin chant - Wally’s a winker, Such and such takes it up the rrrsssse doo dah, doo dah - all codes have dumb men who attend.
Sheffield WesDay
Roar Rookie
Not necessarily the chanting that is keeping families away but rather the myth that football matches are dangerous. Non football fans (not necessarily A league, but the sport in generally) will always always cite simulation (diving), and isolated crowd incidents as a reason they don’t like football, oh and apparently it is boring???
Sheffield WesDay
Roar Rookie
I too am a teacher Grem in both high and primary school and yes agree, language has really descended to a new level in recent years as part of natural language. As a parent I know I can’t shield my family from it in todays society, and we often discuss how other may use that language but we as a family don’t. However, it is more the abusive chants that are the shocking ones. We try to teach our kids on Saturday mornings at the pitch to be a good sport and respect the opposition. To respect the ref. Then we head to an A league match the same night to hear the most disgusting insults hurled at both the ref and opposition, as we sit back and clap along. Very mixed messages.
Football Fan
Roar Rookie
I doubt the active support keeps families away. Their chanting often includes swearing at opposition teams/fans which I personally find unnecessary. They should focus their chanting on supporting their team. Regardless, I just don't see how that would be enough to keep families away. As Grem said in his comment, the language used at schools is at least as bad if not worse. Also, families don't have to sit in the AS area, they have enough space elsewhere in the stadium to sit (unfortunately).
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
They were great they way they handled the two injuries, Burke-Gilroy and Scott Neville, with the others you mention out also, and Brown. They showed a lot of character to win that match.
Waz
Roar Rookie
You should tune in to the BRFC supporters club on FB - it has 6.3k members and can be an absolute duzzy when it gets going lol.
Eden
Roar Rookie
That makes sense. Victory always look like they will win by 5 in the first half and then get pegged back in the second.
Eden
Roar Rookie
Yeah it’s not a simple answer, but I think the club should work with these fans and give them the space they need, with a bit of self regulation expected in return.
Eden
Roar Rookie
Yeah at the game on the weekend I was telling my wife how the atmosphere used to be so much better. I have been to games in many parts of South America and had as much fun being in the Cove. I know the AS had toxic elements and it is a fine balance but it was definitely exaggerated by MSM and the a league caved.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Grem, I am not sure if you, Chris 1, Waz, Lionheart, Buddy, Redondo etc agree, but I think a significant point that Mike has not addressed is that football in this country has only been serious for 18 years. When you factor in the demographic supporting the A-League, how many of that cohort grew up with football of a serious nature and if they did, what is their current age? Yes there are a small percentage of old stagers like us, but I would suggest that to get substantial buy-in and support for the content Mike speaks of, you need to grow up with football. I can only assume that you blokes are like me, you have fathers that live and breathe game, and thus you had the appropriate education. My old boy would question me about what I was seeing on Match of the Day. Which player regularly fed Paul Mariner, what patterns do you see with the Man Utd midfield, watch how the Man Utd defence works and how they drop back and cover each other. I really was fortunate to get a genuine football education. The percentage of those not as fortunate as I, or you blokes, far outweighs those of good fortune. Can I suggest by writing an article Mike, not only will it facilitate robust and educative discussion amongst the core members of this forum, it will educate others. If you don’t plant the seed, nothing will grow. 10 years from now there will be a small army of kids who grew up with football as their staple sporting diet, 30 years from now, those kids who grew up with the game will be assuming the role of the legend that is my Dad, and affording education to their sons and daughters.
Grem
Roar Rookie
I agree with you, but when I sit in my classroom marking books at lunchtime, it’s amazing the language that comes out of the mouths of 10 year olds! When I listen to the radio in the morning on my way to work or various television shows, movies, etc. I hear the same bad language. Are the football chants really that offensive?
Garry
Roar Rookie
Im one who think we can have both - family friendly Womens games and Active Fans mens games. I attend both but if active fans are reduced in the ALM to make them more 'family friendly' I would consider not going.. On a related note I feel the womens game may not be lifting the total crowd as hoped/expected but rather cannabalising it - people/families choose to go to either the mens or womens game but not both.
Sheffield WesDay
Roar Rookie
Agree, but Adelaide pressed really well in that first 30. Our boys in Orange struggled to play out quickly which has been so effective this year. On another day the reds probably should have been a couple up. However, I think that shows the quality of the Roar this season. They know how to defend. They have been doing it almost exclusively for the last 2 seasons. Their ability to stick to the game plan and play through a stifling high Adelaide defence was very “Ange”. Their persistence to turn a game they are struggling to find footing in is the hall mark of a great team. That is what champions do. Even when under the pump they get the result. I am still concerned about depth in the squad, however even without HH and Berenguer, they didn’t really skip a beat. Though I think that in ability to get forward in that first 30 was a direct result of them adjusting to not having the HH outlet.
AR
Roar Rookie
Well, I'd wager I've been to more professional soccer games in Aus and abroad than you've had hot brekkies... but that's another point. Come to think of it, what IS your point?
Sheffield WesDay
Roar Rookie
Agree. APL need to get these kids on weetbix boxes and Milo tins.
Sheffield WesDay
Roar Rookie
Tricky premise though. Active support is also the reason many families stay away. The filth that comes from some of the chants would make a Gordon Ramsey blush. Not sure how you have it both ways. If you curb the AS groups with restrictions or strict guides then you lose the passion they bring. If you support them and let them run riot ( perhaps a poor choice of word) then you lose the media and potential new families. Not sure of the answer, but it is always great to hear them sing. Bne Roar vs WSW last week was great at Suncorp. I had only just commented on another article that the Roar never get away fans, and then the RBB showed up! It was so great to hear the Den drown them out.