Roar grind out win over Western United
BRISBANE Roar’s A-League resurgence has rolled on with Robbie Fowler’s side beating Western United 1-0 at Ballarat’s Mars Stadium yesterday in a gritty contest.
Young striker Mirza Muratovic handed the visitors the lead in the 61st minute and an uninspiring United were unable to claw their way back into the game.
The win gives sixth-placed Brisbane a four-point buffer on United, while they are now just two points and goal difference behind Adelaide and Wellington.
United coach Mark Rudan opted to debut Japanese signing Tomoki Imai on the right side of a back three, while Thiel Iradukunda earned his first A-League start in a defensive midfield.
United spurned two early chances in a first half where both sides looked off the boil.
Connor Pain blasted a close-range effort over the bar in the opening minute. Eleven minutes later, Jerry Skotadis whipped in a clever free kick but Andrew Durante failed to put away his chance at the back post.
Brisbane had a good chance on 33 minutes when Jay O’Shea found Dylan Wenzel-Halls at the far post but the forward hit a shot straight at keeper Filip Kurto. O’Shea then put his own chance high and wide in the 49th minute.
The Roar brought the contest to life with just over half an hour to play.
Brad Inman robbed Imai of the ball in defence, charged forward and slid the ball across for Muratovic to smack home.
After taking the lead, Brisbane controlled the game and rarely looked troubled.
Kurto denied Aiden O’Neill in the 85th minute, then Muratovic in the dying minutes, with the Roar left to settle for a valuable 1-0 win.