Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar play out drab draw

It was a top of the table clash, but you wouldn't have known it as Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar cancelled each other out in a nil-all draw at Allianz Stadium.

A-League Rd 5 - Sydney v Brisbane

Source: Getty Images

It wasn't a match to write home about, and after Sydney was lashed by torrential rain in the hours before kick-off, it was perhaps to be expected.

The first half was worse than Shane Stefanutto's top-knot, the second only marginally better.

Neither side came close to finding any rhythm and for all the hype of a top-of-the-table clash, it really was a damp squib. Literally.
Shane Smeltez tested Roar 'keeper Jamie Young with a shot from distance early on, but it was a comfortable save. 

Corona, so impressive in the early weeks of the season, was nullified by the hard working Alex Brosque and Smeltz. He did get away, once, sliding a beautiful pass through to Jamie Maclaren, but Vedran Janjetovic safely gathered his low cross.

A devlish Mickael Tavares free kick was punched away by Young, but by and large the first half passed with little fanfare. 

Sydney FC were dealt a blow when Milos Ninkovic succumbed to a foot injury sustained when he was fouled in the first half by Corona, and was replaced early in the second period by Andrew Hoole.

Sydney will hope the injury was not too serious, after Ninkovic missed the win against the Mariners last weekend.

Brosque was lucky to avoid injury himself when he was flattened by Young. A cry of "keeper!" was heard as the ball bounced around the area and when Stefanutto ducked, anticipating Young's intervention, Brosque stole in.
Belatedly, Brosque arrived as Young punched clear, clattering the Sydney attacker in the process.

The Sydney FC skipper picked himself up to force Young into a routine save a few minutes later.

Maclaren looked like he might steal in on goal after a lovely ball from Thomas Broich, but he was stopped by Rhyan Grant and Matthew Jurman who threw themselves in his way. 

Last week's hero Matt Simon made his way into the fray, but he couldn't repeat his party trick. The luckless Jean Carlos Solorzano also made his way on, only to be replaced minutes later after picking up a hamstring injury.

It was that kind of night. Even Sydney FC couldn't find a late winner.

Sydney FC 0
Brisbane Roar 0

Allianz Stadium, Sydney

Referee: Strebre Delovski 
Crowd: 12,857


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3 min read
Published 6 November 2015 9:23pm
Updated 6 November 2015 11:37pm
By Matthew Connellan

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