Brisbane Roar FC
2
Match Complete
Western Sydney Wanderers FC
2
| A. Taggart |  | 96' | ||
| T. Mikkelsen | | 92' | ||
| 90' |  | T. Russell | ||
| D. Bowles | | 69' | ||
| 68' | | J. Sotirio | ||
| 61' | | J. O'Doherty | ||
| J. Hingert | | 49' | ||
| A. L. SA!nchez | | 49' | ||
| 42' | | K. Yeboah | ||
| 31' | | K. Yeboah | ||
| 18' | | R. Bonevacia |
| 17 | Shots | 11 | ||
| 5 | On Target | 3 | ||
| 21 | Fouls | 19 | ||
| 3 | Corners | 2 | ||
| 2 | Offsides | 2 | ||
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 | ||
| 3 | Yellow Cards | 4 |
This season’s real underachievers, Brisbane Roar and the Western Sydney Wanderers, take each other on for bragging rights and to keep alive a mathematically improbable chance of finals in Round 16 of the A-League at Suncorp Stadium this Friday evening at 7:50pm (AEST). Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match.
If Australia had an integrated league pyramid, this would be an old-fashioned relegation six-pointer. Alas, for fans and neutrals, it will merely be a chance for both teams to continue to blood new talent and work on tactical improvements in a live environment.
Let’s be honest – both of these teams have had appalling seasons. Neither has won in 2019 – the Roar is yet to chalk up a win under interim manager Darren Davis – and both clubs sit miles outside the top six.
And the hits just keep coming. Irreplaceable players are out for this game from both sides. Playmaker Eric Bautheac and veteran Matt McKay are both suspended for Brisbane, joining key players Brett Holman and Stefan Mauk on the sideline.
For the Wanderers young midfield shuffler Keanu Baccus is also suspended, while German number 10 Alex Baumjohann and Socceroo Josh Risdon are also unavailable.
Despite the threadbare squads one area where both sides have talent is up front. Former Socceroo Adam Taggart will lead the line for Brisbane – he’s sitting third on the table for goals with nine, while both Oriol Riera and Kwame Yeboah are available for the Wanderers.
In fact, we may see Riera and Yeboah start together for the first time in this match, in a proposition that promises to excite.
Brisbane went into this season with high hopes. Adding Taggart to a side that had competed regularly in finals was seen as a great coup and had the potential to catapult Brisbane into the top three or four clubs in the league.
But it hasn’t worked out that way, and former manager John Aloisi resigned just before New Year pointing out that he had taken the side as far as he could.
And while Aloisi was able to control the narrative of his exit, stuck in second place and without much hope, he likely jumped before he was pushed.
The issue for both teams in this game, as most others, will be getting the ball to their front line. Indeed, this poses as a real battle between two young and inexperienced midfields.
Add to this the Wanderers’ leaky back line, as they’ve conceded 17 goals in those six games in since the New Year. When they can’t maintain possession and control of midfield, the Wanderers’ defence doesn’t have the ability to keep goals out.
Indeed one starts to wonder how long Wanderers’ coach Markus Babbel – who has turned into a fashion chain-store pin-up boy – will last in this league.
Week on week he seems increasingly exacerbated by his team’s errors. On the flip-side he is promoting youth – Keanu Baccus, Jordan O’Doherty, Tass Mourdoukoutas, Mathieu Cordier, Kwame Yeboah, Tate Russell, Abraham Majok and goalkeeper Nick Suman all playing regular roles in the team.
And while they haven’t got the results, they have generally been good and competed in each game.
So while Babbel may not be here for a long time, he is at least setting the club up well for future seasons.
The risk for both clubs, however, is that by the end of this season, both teams could find themselves competing with the expansion clubs in the manager market.
The Wanderers fans and back office will be hoping that this injection of youth may get on a run of form and encourage Babbel to stick with this project.
Prediction
This really could go in any direction. Both teams will be desperate for some kind of momentum going into the final phase of the season, and both sides – despite the outs – still have enough quality to put the ball in the back of the net.
For mine the Wanderers are due for some luck, and if we can see Yeboah and Riera up front together, their mix of skill, speed and guile could terrorise the Brisbane backline.
One thing is near certain though – expect the big names to get the goals for either side.
Brisbane 1 – Western Sydney Wanderers 2
Neil
Roar Rookie
I have no idea how VAR works, there is no consistency in its use.
Neil
Roar Rookie
VAR in my opinion stands for Videos Against Roar.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
the fans were laughing jb, believe me, and I think it's fair to apply that statement of a collapsed defence helping Roar, to Wanderers also. Roar's poor defence gifted them their two goals, too. But it's great our youngsters are getting a go.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
no-where for 90 mins? Were you at the game? But yes, great finish. Believable.
jbinne
Guest
This was the biggest "steal" since Bonnie and Clyde were roaming middle America wreaking havoc. Roar came away with a point they should never have got within the proverbial mile of getting, mainly due to a horrendous collapse by WSW's defence. It would be nice to say it was deserved but that would be stretching the imagination just a little too far, in fact it would probably be correct to say the 8000 who attended,mainly Roar supporters, did not know whether to laugh or cry, at 90 minutes the hankies were out, and at 94 minutes the scarves were waving. Such is football and what it can do to your emotions. Both parties will now sit back and wonder what's next on the cards? Roar to Adelaide and WSW at home to Jets. Tipsters? Best stick to draws, and hope for more miracles. cheers jb.
coolncold
Roar Rookie
FFA should stop using VAR next season.
Chump
Guest
Var has effectively killed the game in this country. An unmitigated disaster where nobody can understand when it's supposed to be applied. Maybe the ffa are happy but not a single fan of any club can say this has helped the game. I have been going to roar games since day 1 and after the non review for offside - I mean why not look at it - I'm about done with this league. Love my club but when the competition is only concerned about 4 sides it's hardly encouraging to keep up the support.
EJ
Roar Pro
Good fight from Roar in last 5 minutes, not gonna lie I thought it was Jamie young who got that goal and I couldn’t believe it but obviously good header from taggart and also good assist from him for Mikelsen goal
coolncold
Roar Rookie
What had woken the Lang Park ghosts? There is no explanation to Janjetovic's silliness.
Brian
Roar Rookie
The sad part was that no how bizarre the end turn out to be you just knew that neither team have the ability to win a game. When it was 2-0 at half time you just knew The Wanderers would blow it. If The Roar had been up they would have somehow messed it up as well.
Lucas Gillard
Roar Guru
They had a much better second half... and had a much much better second half of second half!
Lucas Gillard
Roar Guru
MATCH REPORT. An absolutely insane finish to this game, with Adam Taggart scoring with the last touch of the game to steal a point for the Roar after a game with some moments of inspiration, but many more moments of schoolboy error. It was also an old fashioned two-halfer, with the Wanderers dominating the first half – up 2-0 at the half – but seeding possession to the Roar in the second to allow them back in to, eventually, get 2 goals back late on. In the first half the Wanderers front four of Bonevacia, Riera, Kamau and Yeboah all moved in fluid circle, terrorising a passive Roar defence and limiting chances at the other end. The first goal to Bonevacia looked offside on the replay to everyone except the VAR technicians, but it was also a brilliant piece of individual play to beat a defender and then keeper after a run from deep. The second goal was Yeboah’s, who collected with his back to goal, turned and curled one into the far corner while the Roar defence timidly watched on. When the half time whistle went the Wanderers had had 60% possession and 3 shots on target to 1. But all that momentum changed in the second half. By the end of the second half the Roar had arrested back 52% possession and 5 on target to 3, underlining their dominance in the that half in keeping the ball and the pressure on the Wanderers back 4. And, like previous weeks, Hamill and Elrich and co eventually collapsed and allowed in the 2 equalising goals. The Roar didn’t make many great chances in the second half, but continuously pressured Janjetovic and had a goal disallowed for offside on Wenzel-Hall – the young winger who had a real impact when he came on. In the second half striker Adam Taggart also clicked into his groove, finding more of the ball at the top of the box and bringing the wide players around him into the play. Indeed going from barely touching the ball in the first half to an equalising goal and an assist shows how great the transformation was. Alas, for a game that had a lot of young talent on display this game will be remembered for two rookie errors from experienced people. The non VAR call for Bonevacia’s goal will be a talking point throughout the week, but even that may be overshadowed by Wanderers keeper Janjetovic’s moment of disoriented terror for what was the second last play of the game. With a harmless ball bouncing out for a goal kick, he – for reasons only known to him – tried at the last minute to keep it in and only managed to glance it out for a corner. And, sure enough, Taggart blasted home the equaliser to probably bring Janjetovic’s time at the Wanderers to an end. Having already been usurped by young Nick Suman, Janjetovic was given a chance to redeem himself tonight. Sadly for him he did anything but. MAN OF THE MATCH was Roly Bonevacia. He scored (albeit controversially), got kicked up and down the park and the Wanderers most effective playmaker all night. His runs and passes threatened the Roar for the full 90, and while he and Kwame Yeboah were on the park (before Yeboah was removed for injury early into the second half) the Wanderers were really cooking with gas and looked as effective as any A-League team going forward.
pete4
Guest
Brisbane no-where for 90 mins then score twice in injury time. Unbelievable!!
Lucas Gillard
Roar Guru
Janjetovic went from Alisson to Karius in the space of 5 minutes. Head scratching stuff.
Deepthinker
Roar Rookie
WSW tried to defend the whole second half, kind of deserve that result. I dont think riera did anything except win a few free kicks and bomb chances. Exciting finsih at least but glad neither team will be stinking up the finals
Lucas Gillard
Roar Guru
Heartbreak for the Wanderers. They had that game - and the clean sheet - in the bag but dropped it in injury time. Markus Babbel must be ready to be committed after that ending.
Lucas Gillard
Roar Guru
Unbelievable scenes! What was Janjetovic thinking? It was a shocking cross from the Roar, and it was rolling out for a goal kick, with Janjetovic watching it intensely, and at the last second he decided to try and keep it in but mishandled and gave away the corner. Absolute absurdity.
Lucas Gillard
Roar Guru
And it was the last play of the game. FULL TIME. It ends 2-2
Lucas Gillard
Roar Guru
95' - AND THE ROAR SCORE FROM THE CORNER!! It's TAGGART!! UNBELIEVABLE SCENES!! It was a brilliant corner in and Taggart blasts it home from within the mixer.
96'