Brisbane Roar’s winless run ticked over to eight games but the Queenslanders took a credible point against Western Sydney Wanderers by coming from behind in Saturday’s 1-1 A-League draw.
Brisbane Roar’s winless run ticked over to eight games but the Queenslanders took a credible point against Western Sydney Wanderers by coming from behind in Saturday’s 1-1 A-League draw.
Former Roar starlet Kwame Yeboah haunted Brisbane and deepened to gloom around Redcliffe by applying a sweet opening strike from the edge of the area in the 12th minute after some intricate build up play from the Wanderers.
But after surviving an early barrage from the visitors Warren Moon’s side recovered impressively and equalised when the excellent Joey Champness teed up Riku Danzaki to slot home early in the second half.
Wanderers ‘keeper Daniel Margush made a string of fine saves from Champness, Golgol Mebrahtu, Dylan Wenzel-Halls and Scott McDonald as Brisbane sought to press home their advantage, but the home side – or Carl Robinson’s men – could not muster enough composure or execution in the final third to find a winner.
The result means Brisbane are seventh on the ladder having failed to win any of their last eight matches, scoring just four goals in the process. Western Sydney are fifth.
Key moments
The visitors dominated the opening stages and were deservedly swept into a 1-0 lead by Yeboah’s brilliant take on 12 minutes.
The man who started his A-League career at the Roar before joining Borussia Monchengladbach in Germany continued his recent resurgence in Red and Black by dispatching neatly on the edge of the area after patient interplay from Keanu Baccus and Bruce Kamau.
Western Sydney ought to have made the most of their excellent 20 minute spell.
Jamie Young saved at the near post from Kamau, who should have scored after a perfectly timed run but got his angles wrong, before the ex-Adelaide United flyer lashed an effort just wide of Brisbane goal again.
Brisbane rallied though – Kai Trewin headed Corey Brown’s corner over from point blank range, and Mebrahtu ought to have done better with two headed chances that fell his way as the first half came to a close.
The home side’s momentum continued to rise early in the second with Daniel Margush required to pull off a big save to deny Joey Champness’ brilliant run.
But Champness and Roar got the home crowd on their feet minutes later when the young Roar attacker made another storming run before sliding the ball past Margush for Danzaki to equalise.
Margush made another huge save to dive at the feet of Mebrahtu and added fine stops from substitutes McDonald and Wenzel-Halls to his ever-growing catalogue of impressive saves for the Red and Black.
