Brisbane Roar earned a well deserved 3-1 win against a Western Sydney team lacking cohesion in front of a pulsating crowd of 14,000 people in Parramatta on Thursday.
An action-packed first half resulted in the 3-1 scoreline for the away team with goals from Jamie Maclaren and Daniel Bowles. Mitch Nichols scored a well taken goal but the Wanderers were unable to take their chances, with the A-League getting off to a wonderful start in its 11th year.
A tale of two signings
Two goals from Maclaren gave the Brisbane Roar a larger than expected lead at half time, with one cool, calm and collected finish coming in the 9th minute, while the other was a scrappy but well taken goal off the scraps of a corner in the 34th, taking his tally in the A-League to seven goals in his past six games, a very promising strike rate for a 22-year-old striker. His constant presence in the front third gave the Roar not only a player to hit with direct balls, but also an avenue in behind with chips and longer passes into the corners. His powerful, direct running and cool finishes were reminiscent of a certain Besart Berisha, which will give all Roar fans hope for the upcoming seasons.
On the other hand, the Wanderers’ new number nine Federico Piovaccari showed promising skill and positioning, but really lacked the final touches. There were at least three opportunities where he should have scored, with one hitting the side netting and the other resulting in an air swing. The season is only young but Piovaccari will need to turn these opportunities into goals for Western Sydney to avoid a repeat of last season.
Click NEXT to view major taking points
