Sydney FC’s worrying mid-season A-League slump has reached a sixth week as the injury-hit Sky Blues struggled to a scoreless draw against the Brisbane Roar in the Queensland heat.
Played in oppressive conditions on a patchy Suncorp Stadium pitch, neither side thrived in an uninspiring clash that Brisbane mostly controlled but rarely looked like taking.
It left Sydney (18 points) without a win in six rounds, and they are now under pressure from sixth-placed Melbourne City (16) who enjoyed a 5-2 win in Newcastle.
Brisbane (12) are a place further back and again can rue their frustrating lack of polish up front for falling further away from the top six.
The defending champions, sorely missing injured German maestro Thomas Broich, have now gone five matches without a win at home, their worst run in six years.
“Every game is going to be tough for us from here on in,” admitted stand-in Roar skipper Jade North.
While the Roar dominated possession in the second half, it was the Sky Blues who had the best chance to steal the match late when replacement Christopher Naumoff had a free header at the back post but missed to the left.
Brisbane also looked more fluid in the first half and possessed the most dangerous player on the field with Brazilian Henrique constantly tormenting promoted defender Aaron Calver on the left wing.
Sydney also went closest to open the scoring before the break when canny Serbian midfielder Milos Dimitrijevic lobbed a perfect pass to Alex Brosque whose sharp header demanded a top-shelf save.
Roar goalkeeper Jamie Young, outclassed in the 2-0 loss in the round three meeting between the two sides, was equal to the task by tipping the shot over the bar.
The absence of Socceroos midfielder Matt McKay was covered better by the Roar than Sydney’s loss of Terry Antonis.
Luke Brattan showed his importance to the hosts with his smart service in the midfield until he was forced off with another hamstring scare following a rough challenge by Peter Triantis.
Triantis, booked for his 71st-minute foul, epitomised the visitors’ struggles in the high humidity when he went down with cramp soon after and appeared to ask referee Chris Beath to assist treating it.
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