Veteran issues a kiss of death
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 gloveman’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 Italian 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 after 20 minutes – with the first goal coming after just 60 seconds.
It wasn’t the start Brisbane needed after opening the season with three-straight losses. “Maybe now this is the game where we can change everything because we fought back to finish 3-3,” he 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.”
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.
Papadopoulos’ defensive partner Luke DeVere (leg) could be in doubt for the battle with Central Coast on Sunday at Suncorp Stadium.