Veteran gives keeper a lesson in respect
RESPECT your elders.
That’s the message veteran Roar striker Massimo Maccarone had for the Phoenix’s schoolboy goalkeeper Keegan Smith after equalising from the penalty spot in Brisbane’s fighting 3-3 weekend draw in Wellington.
Smith, who was again shaky during the 90 minutes, was blowing kisses to Maccarone as the 38-year-old former Italian international was preparing to take the penalty.
But the 18-year-old’s gamesmanship counted for nothing as Maccarone scored his second of the game and his third of the season to complete the Roar’s remarkable comeback from 3-0 down.
After netting the penalty, the experienced marksman was quick to put Smith in his place.
“I told him to show respect because he’s 20 years younger than me,” Maccarone said.
“He just needs to do his job. Maybe it’s because he’s younger, but he doesn’t have to do these things because these things are not good in football.
“We shook hands after the game, and I reminded him again and he said sorry to me.”
Maccarone was happy with his brace, but was more pleased about the Roar’s overall response after looking dead and buried when they trailed by three goals – one of which was scored in the first 60 seconds – after 20 minutes.
“Maybe now this is the game where we can change everything because we fought back to finish 3-3,” Maccarone said. “We have to believe in ourselves because we have a strong team, but sometimes it’s hard to believe when you’re not winning games.
“Then when you go a goal down after one minute it’s not easy, and then going three down, it’s more hard. But after that it was a very good reaction from everybody,” he added.
Maccarone scored on the stroke of half time to give the Roar a sniff.
“That was important because then we had that belief, and then it was more important to score the second goal because then you have more chance to get something from the game,” he said.
Defender Avraam Papadopoulos scored the Roar’s second, and earned the penalty that gave Maccarone the chance to equalise in the 82nd minute.