The Queensland Roar suffered another home defeat last night, but this time it was not only poor finishing which led to their downfall, but a stubborn Adelaide United side. Adelaide United took the chances that were presented to them, and put up a barrier in front of goal which the Roar were just not creative enough to break down.
When the Roar did manage to get behind United's defensive wall they spurned the opportunity with poor finishing.
The game's kick-off was delayed a few minutes, possibly because Nathan Bazley snapped his plugger.
Adelaide put pressure on the ball right from the offset, and it clearly affected the Roar's passing game. Carl Veart was proving lively early on, smacking a shot high and wide, but soon after, his pinpoint cross found Qu Shengqing in the area. Qu's header went just wide of the upright, but Adelaide's intentions were clear, get crosses in early.
Uruguayan import Osvaldo Carro played his first game in front of his home fans, and it took a while for him to get going. In the 13th minute he put a superb ball over the Adelaide defensive line to Michael Baird. Baird went down under the challenge of Kristian Rees but referee Peter O'Leary waved play on.
With Adelaide's tight pressing game and Queensland unable to find a way through, the game was cat and mouse in the first half. On the half hour Carro released Baird again, but his shot was easily saved by Daniel Beltrame.
It took until the 36th minute for any real goalmouth action. Baird released the marauding defender Remo Buess down the line. Matthew McKay met Buess' low cross on the volley, but the ball went inches from the upright.
Two minutes Michael Baird almost made up for his early missed opportunities. With his back to goal, he turned his man on the edge of the area and hit a lovely shot, but the ball went just wide of the top corner.
John Kosmina was the happier of the two coaches at half time, with Miron Bleiberg ruing missed opportunities once again.
The second half started where the first had left off. Baird this time down the left put a good low cross into the box, but once again McKay's volley went just wide of the goal.
Massimo Murdocca came alive in the second half, his penetrating run through the middle put Baird into some space, but Baird's good strike went straight into the hands of Beltrame.
Adelaide had weathered the second half storm and was now beginning to feed off the Queenslanders frustrations.
Once again Ross Aloisi couldn't make the ninety minutes and was replaced by Lucas Pantelis; who in the end proved a handful for the Roar. Pantelis' movement off the ball created space around the Roar goal. Fernando Rech made a run at the heart of Roar defence, Kemp supplied the cross, and Rech unmarked in the box duly finished with a header. It seemed as though Kosmina's game plan was paying off.
Under pressure, Bleiberg made two quick substitutions, Karl Dodd came off for Spase Dilevski, Moon replaced Baird, while Kosmina shuffled his pack with Alagich replacing Travis Dodd.
In a somewhat peculiar move, Bleiberg replaced his only out and out striker with a creative midfielder. The move didn't result as the Roar could only manage two long range shots from Brosque and Carro, both easily dealt with by Beltrame.
In the 72nd minute Bleiberg took Carro off and put Royce Brownlie up front. But it was Adelaide who was looking the most dangerous. With Pantelis on they exchanged the ball with fluidity around the Roar goal, and Pantelis hit a good shot, but Scott Higgins saved expertly.
Only a minute later and the Roar finally cracked the Adelaide defence. Warren Moon made a fantastic run into the box, he was brought down but the ball fell to Brownlie. His low shot went under the diving Beltrame, and the roar from the crowd said they were back on level terms.
But Queensland were unable to go on with it, and it was Adelaide United who appeared the more threatening after the goal. Adelaide dominated the closing stages of the match and passed the ball around beautifully.
With only a minute to go in normal time Alagich wide on the right either hit a superb shot, or a miss hit cross. It surprised Higgins who could only parry it away. Lucas Pantelis was first to the loose ball and slid it into the back of the net for Adelaide. Adelaide thoroughly deserved their second goal, while the Roar had a bucket of cold water thrown on them.
The Roar tried desperately to find an equaliser in stoppage time, with Scott Higgins joining the attack on corners but it wasn't to be his or the Roar's night. Adelaide won the battle of Brisbane, and now Kosmina had the bragging rights over Bleiberg, which Kossie made Bleiberg aware of after the game.