Strikers
Power On
Brisbane Strikers came back in spectacular
fashion to defeat title favourites Parramatta Power 4-2 at Perry Park last
night. After being behind twice during the match, Brisbane fought
back to score 3 goals in the last twenty minutes to take the points and a
spot in the top six.
Parramatta who had lost their previous game against Wollongong began the
match with something to prove. In only the second minute of the
match Ahmed Elrich sprinted down the right hand side and put in a cross
which Fernando Rech could only manage to hit wide of the post. It
was a sign of things to come as Parramatta used their pace to get down the
right hand side on numerous occasions in the fist ten minutes.
In the twelfth minute Travis Dodd went down the right hand touch line, his
inch perfect cross was met by the head of Ante Milicic, who's header went
into the bottom corner of the goal. A pin drop could be heard in the
stands. The right hand side of the Parramatta attack was proving to
be a powerful weapon.
The goal however, did kick Brisbane into gear. In the eighteenth
minute Royce Brownlie put a through ball to Louis Brain on the right hand
side; he got into the area and from an acute angle forced a save from
Clint Bolton. Only a minute later a goal mouth scramble led to
Warren Moon having a shot which was cleared off the line.
As well as being effective down the right, the combination of Rech and
Milicic was creating gaps through the middle of the Brisbane defense.
Milicic holding the ball up and Rech coming through from middle was
creating chances for Parramatta, as seen in the twenty-fourth minute.
Milicic controlled and turned superbly, and his lay off was met by the on
rushing Rech, who's point blank shot was well saved by Scott Higgins.
Brisbane began to get more of the possession as the half wore on. The
attacks were coming thick and fast, yet the Parramatta defense could not
be breached, until the thirty-fifth minute. Karl Dodd won the ball
in the middle of the park, he went forward and slipped a beautiful pass to
Luke Morley, who got into the area and hit a low cross goal shot, which
Bolton could only parry, the ball was only half cleared to Moon who
slotted home his first NSL goal. The delight of the home fans could
be heard around the city, the home side was back in it, and looking in
control.
The first half ended with Brisbane well in control of possession. Parramatta
started the brighter of the two with their pace, the main attacking
weapon. However as the game wore on and the Brisbane defenders came
to grips with the Power's speed, the Strikers looked more dangerous.
Both teams were playing very attacking football which led to
numerous chances and excitement in the grand stand.
The second half began in much the same fashion as the first; Parramatta
was throwing everything at the Brisbane defense. It only took five
minutes of the second half before John Buonavoglia got a shot on goal.
Unlike the first half Parramatta were trying to crack the Brisbane
defense by going through the middle. The Brisbane defense was
dealing with the wide threat better in the second half. Yet Milicic
and Rech were still proving to be difficult for the Brisbane defense to
contain. In the fifty-eighth minute Milicic sent a curling shot
which whisked past the top right hand corner of the goal.
A minute later Brisbane gave the ball away in their own half. Elrich
latched onto it and passed through to Milicic, who held the ball up and
laid it off to the on coming Rech. He raced into the box and his
right foot curling shot flew just inside of the right hand post. It
was 2-1 to Parramatta and the combination of Rech and Milicic was keeping
a smile on the face of Nick Theodorakopoulos.
Parramatta was keeping possession well after the goal and looked like they
would cruise to a victory. However as seen in earlier games this
season the Strikers were not ready to throw in the towel just yet. In
what proved to be an inspired substitution, the goal scorer Moon made way
for Joshua Rose in the sixty-fifth minute.
In the seventy-first minute Royce Brownlie won a corner on the right hand
side. Pilic's well hit corner was met by the head of Luke Morley,
once Bolton could only parry it, and Rose was on hand to smash in the
equalizer for Brisbane. The fans almost lifted the roof off Perry
Park, and they could sense victory.
Yet Parramatta responded with force. They launched attack upon
attack on the Brisbane defense, pouring players forward in effort to get a
winner. In the eightieth minute, Rech put the speedy Buonavoglia
into the area. He skipped past Dodd and from a tight angle shot
well, but Higgins once again was equal to the task and saved well. Five
minutes later and a good header from Rech, off a corner, were looking to
go into the top corner, but Dodd was on hand to clear it off the line.
Parramatta's insistence on finding a winner proved to be there downfall.
With so many players committed forward, the Power was left short at
the back, and Brisbane took full advantage. In the eighty-seventh
minute, with the Torcida Banana in full song Rose came forward on a
counter attack, he played the ball to Brownlie. Brownlie held the
ball up, as Rose raced into space, Brownlie put the ball through to Rose
and he was in the clear. Bolton rushed out to the edge of the area,
but Rose coolly placed the shot inside the near post. Brisbane fans
could not contain their excitement, a superb counter attacking move had
put them in the lead for the first time, and the giant scalp of Parramatta
was on the cards.
Parramatta tried gallantly to get an equalizer, however it was Brisbane
once again who would exploit the space offered to them in the Power's
half. In the ninety-first minute Brownlie was put through down the
right. He beat one defender skillfully, and then was one on one with
Bolton; Brownlie unselfishly played it square to Morley who tapped in for
Brisbane's fourth. The goal sealed the match in Brisbane's favour,
and a top six position was once again theirs.
The second was heading towards a victory for Parramatta after some superb
attacking movement from Milicic and Rech. However it was Brisbane's
determination not to give in, coupled with the home fans willingness to
push their team forward which led to the Strikers excellent come from
behind win. Parramatta's over commitment of pushing players forward,
was expertly exploited by the Brisbane counter attack, and the
introduction of Rose, in the end proved to be decisive points in the game.
Brisbane will be looking to go on with this victory next week
against the Melbourne Knights, and with the support of the fans, they can
be confident of another victory at home.
|
Brisbane Strikers 4 (1)
v
Parramatta Power 2 (1)
Scorers:
Strikers
Moon (34'), Rose (72', 85'), Morley
(89')
Power
Milicic (15'), Rech (58')
|
