Brisbane Roar continued their perfect start to the season with a 2-1 win over the Central Coast Mariners at Suncorp Stadium.
The Roar were largely dominant in the first half and eventually took the lead through Brandon Borello. However, the Mariners came out strong in the second half and looked like they would punish the home side for their earlier profligacy. The fightback was extinguished after Borello found his second from a clinical counter-attack and despite a late goal from Joshua Bingham, the Mariners did not pose a threat to the points.
Mariners still under development
Having only adopted their new attacking philosophy ahead of this season, it is no surprise that Tony Walmsley’s side struggled against the Roar, who have been entrenched in stylish football since the reign of Ange Postecoglu. The player movement was just slightly off for the Mariners, often passing straight into trouble and triggering soft turnovers. This all-action approach did yield a late goal, and a significant shout for a penalty in the second half, but clear chances were few and far between against the supremely organised Roar.
The clearest difference between the personnel was in the forward line. Mitch Austin and Fabio Ferreira are undoubtedly dangerous wingers, but they lack the versatility of Thomas Broich and Brandon Borello, who are comfortable in more than one area of the field. The comparison between Roy O’Donovan and Jamie Maclaren is similar – while both have shown capabilities as predatory strikers, only Maclaren has the ability to drift wide and beat players with his speed. The Mariners are not the finished article, and Walmsley would be well-served if he used the Roar as a blueprint going forward.
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