Roar Down Glory In Perth

Berisha honours new father Murdocca

Brisbane Roar has maintained its pressure on A-League leaders Central Coast Mariners with a convincing win over Perth Glory tonight.  It was an eventful night with Brisbane netting three times and winger Henrique earning himself a red card.  The win put paid to concerns that Roar could not win without Thomas Broich after the German playmaker missed the game with a shoulder injury.

Massimo Murdocca made a late dash to Perth this morning to take his place in the starting side after attending the birth of his first child overnight.

The match got off to a very even start and it looked like it was going to be a tough night at the office for both sides, but in the 21st minute Besart Berisha and Henrique combined for the Roar's first goal.  Shane Stefanutto won a ball in midfield and picked out Berisha whose reverse pass met the run of Henrique.  The Brazilian winger rounded a diving Danny Vukovic and finished into an open goal to give Roar the upper hand.  Perth battled to pull the goal back and tried to apply more pressure to the Roar defence as they played out from the back, but Brisbane went to the break with their lead intact.

After the break Perth came out and assumed the ascendency and piled the pressure onto the Roar.  However they were unable to find an equaliser and around the hour mark Brisbane made them pay in spades.  This time Henrique turned provider as he slid a perfect pass between two Perth defenders to pick out Berisha in front of goal and the Albanian took a touch before turning and shooting past Vukovic.  In celebration he dragged Murdocca to the sideline and led a number of players in the now common 'rocking the baby' goal celebration.  The match was seemingly put beyond doubt just four minutes later when Berisha netted his second.  Mitch Nichols' found Nick Fitzgerald behind the Perth defence with a precision pass and the winger played a little chipped cross off the outside of the boot to find Berisha totally unmarked in front of an open goal.  The striker delivered the necessary finish and Roar had a three goal lead.

It should have been a procession for Roar from that point but they gave Perth a sniff when Henrique earned himself a red card.  In a rare moment of anger from the little winger he slapped Jacob Burns in the face after the two had tangled on the ball.  From there Roar were made to work hard to prevent the match slipping away but they defended stoutly and Perth struggled to really trouble them.

Perth has always been a happy hunting ground for the Roar and once again this trip provided the three points the club needed.  They now close the Mariners' lead to just three points, though the league leaders still have to play Melbourne Heart this weekend.

I would expect that Henrique will miss the next couple of games after his red card for what will be considered violent conduct.  Hopefully though his absence will be tempered by the return from injury of Broich.  Brisbane will play Heart on Friday night at Suncorp Stadium as they continue their quest to haul in the Mariners.