Crash, Bang And Very Nearly Wallop

Suncorp Stadium has provided many dramatic sporting moments over the years and Brisbane Roar's overnight win was just the latest chapter in that long history.  It was a game that had a bit of just about everything and one that is going to generate plenty of talking points and interest in the coming week.

Bam Bam Berisha celebrates with Mitch Nichols

Prior to the match the big news was the return from injury of Roar's key attacking duo Thomas Broich and Henrique.  But by the end of the match it was all about yet another amazing come from behind win at the depth from the home side and a post match flare up that threatened to escalate into the league's first all in brawl.  First to the game itself.

Broich and Henrique started on the bench and the match got off to the sort of start typical of Roar in recent weeks.  They were playing well enough but lacking in spark.  Then late in the first half Roar were dealt a double blow with a goal conceded to Mark Bridge and an injury to captain Matt Smith who was replaced at the break.  Postecoglou brought Broich and Henrique in for the last half hour and suddenly Brisbane had their attacking mojo back.  The pace lifted and the movement increased and Roar started to threaten the visitors more and more.  They looked to have scored a late equaliser through Berisha but were denied by an offside flag.  All was looking lost for the home side as the match moved deep into injury time and then it happened.  With just a minute left on the clock Roar equalised courtesy of a stunning free kick from Mohammad Adnan who had been outstanding all night.  But that was just the beginning of an amazing comeback that was capped a minute later.  Shane Stefanutto crossed the ball from the left to Mitch Nichols who instinctively stabbed the ball at goal.  It flew off his foot and straight to the head of Berisha who finished from point blank range to steal the points for Roar.

On the final whistle all hell broke loose.  Berisha ripped his shirt off and ran to Sydney defender Pascal Bosschaart and motioned for him to follow him to the Sydney dressing room before setting off to wait for him.  Bosschaart didn't look overly keen on the invitation and walked slowly off the park, but serial twat and Sydney keeper Liam Reddy made a 50m dash to get involved.  At the end of the day nothing really kicked off and there was just a bunch of handbags and verbals.  But there is a lot of talk that more will come of this and Berisha could be suspended.

So the big question here is what really happened.  According to Erik Paartalu it all stems back to the previous encounter down in Kogarah where apparently Bosschaart said some things what won't be forgotten in a hurry.  That suggests something very bad got said.  During last night's game there didn't seem to be much happening until late in the match when Reddy and Berisha ended up on the ground in a tangle after contesting an aerial ball. Reddy proceded to crawl all over Berisha ensuring he dug as many joints into the striker's torso as possible.  Shortly after Bosschaart and Berisha were seen in discussion with the Dutchman pointing towards the sheds and seemingly suggesting that an issue get settled post match.

If there is one thing that pisses me off in sport it's the what happens on the field stays on the field and we're all good mates after the final whistle bullshit.  That's all well and good when it's just a bit of good old banter, but it should never been an excuse to give guys licence to abuse.  By all accounts the entire Roar team was incensed by what happened at Kogarah which suggests Bosschaart sunk pretty low in his antics down there.  Also Mark Bosnich revealed post-game that Bosschaart was involved in a similar situation with Mariners' striker Adam Kwasnik last weekend.  Surely a sign that the real issue here is with the Sydney defender.
If there is to be punishment meted out from this game then I hope all guilty parties are punished and not just Berisha.





To round out and great day for the Roar our ladies team grabbed a 1:0 win over Sydney at QSAC to wrap up second place on the ladder and a home semi-final against the same opponent next weekend.