Jade North clears ahead of Nick Fitzgerald during the round nine A-League match between Melbourne City and Brisbane Roar. Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
Jade North clears ahead of Nick Fitzgerald during the round nine A-League match between Melbourne City and Brisbane Roar. Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
Perhaps one of the worst-spirited games we’ve seen in the A-League in recent years. The coaches set the tone pre-game with “he said, she said” accusations flying out of both camps.
The players very much took that to heart with a series of malicious and contentious flashpoints; none more so than the coming-together between the veteran defender Jade North and City’s captain Bruno Fornaroli. In stopping play to look to escalate a personal battle between the two, North arguably badly let down his side; both sets of players virtually stopped on the pitch, but no whistle was forthcoming, and Melbourne City fashioned a contentious equaliser.
For Brisbane’s part, Maclaren took both an excellent goal, after a defensive error from defender Manny Muscat, and also squandered a raft of other chances throughout the match.
“The man at the top sets the tone” was the verdict from Mark Bosnich post-game and with assistant Ross Aloisi also hugely animated on the sideline there was a lot of aggression from the Roar players – some excellently channeled, some poorly directed.
Elsewhere Thomas Broich turned back the clock with his performance, DeVere was immense, Nicholas Colazo also looked bright, and not bad getting through 180 minutes in four days after a run of niggling injuries since arriving in Australia.
It’s a result that would please rivals Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory however – with two rivals having to begrudgingly settle for a point.
An absolute drama-filled encounter – some penalties could have been awarded, some red cards perhaps could have been dealt out, but with all that, it finishes 1-1.
So, hard to assess which set of fans would be more disappointed with that result.
Theo faces the post-match interview; apparently he had a coming-to with Fornaroli in the tunnel at half-time. The claim of battling on the pitch and then “all being friends again afterwards” rings a little hollow from the veteran ‘keeper.
Huge talking point about how much aggro is too much aggro, but we’ll save that for the ten-thousand forthcoming ‘hot-takes’ from various football blogs unpacking this topic.
Now. To attempt to summarise this remarkable game of football.
90 + 5min: Nope. Shaun Evans has seen enough, and that’s full-time.
So a remarkable fourth consecutive 1-1 draw for Brisbane Roar, and with all the cameras trained on the two coaches, they both head on the pitch to mingle among the players.
A handshake is eventually forthcoming, and you’d call it terse at the absolute best.
90 min: And the referee has signalled five extra minutes – so there’s still legs in this one.
Pepper goes in the book for a foul on Brandan, now it’s Cahill and DeVere coming together and getting a talking too from referee Evans.
Brattan attempts a speculative effort from about 30m out. First time volley on the run; it’s a one-in-a-thousand that one, and this was one of the other 999 efforts.
88 min: Muscat in the book, for a very heavy bodycheck on Broich. He could be in trouble with a elbow or forearm injury; the City right back has “tunnelled” his opponent (if I may borrow the phrase from AFL, or if indeed they even say that). Painful stuff for the veteran.
87 min: Kamau whips in a ball for Cahill – first meaning chance for the hero of Kaiserlautern – but it’s overhit and Theo comes and claims.
City play to the flanks once more, but they recycle and it’s Caceres who’s picked out by Brattan. Not the best connection from the midfielder, and Theo watches it wide.
86 min: Oh no! Borrello with brilliant feet to whip a cross past Rose, and it’s clattered off the shin of Jakobsen – and clears the City crossbar by millimetres!
84 min: Change of plans for Roar, Hingert goes down injured and Arana is hooked. Bowles replaces the fullback.
Meanwhile Chapman tangles with Broich, hasn’t he got through a mountain of work, the veteran. And now it’s Pepper on for Kristensen; so poor old Arana sees no action on his 32nd birthday.
83 min: Scratch the notion of this contest petering out, Brandan now skips past two, and almost fashions a shooting chance. He appeals for handball as his shot is blocked, but McKay likely caught elsewhere as he falls to his haunches.
And now it’s Arana for the Roar and Cahill for City who come on. 83 minutes of the most remarkable drama, and THEN we see Timmy Cahill? What can the veteran Socceroo conjure here?!
77 min: Brilliant work again from the Uruguayan, and now he’s charged into the box, and for all money, it appears that North is holding the City striker back!
To his credit he stays on his feet, but Theo dives in to snuff out the action. You never want to encourage a striker to go to ground, but surely on that occasion referee Evans might have been sorely tested to award a penalty, had Fornaroli gone down.
76 min: Fornaroli looks to wriggle out from the attentions of several in orange, nice from the Uruguayan.
Incidentally, I’d love to tell you more about Colazo’s goal, but such has been the frenetic sequence of incidents in the second half, we haven’t even had time for a replay!
74 min: Great turn from Brandan as he eludes Broich before Muscat and Brown have a heavy coming together that leaves both lying prone on the ground. City players saying the Roar fullback went over the ball, Roar players saying the City defender used his forearms strongly to body-block his opponent.
69 min: Oh deary, me. Another flashpoint here. DeVere appears to have clattered a City player, but proceedings are brought back for an earlier infringement.
No time to pause, now it’s Bouzanis with a stunning save from Maclaren – and now it’s Brandan in the book for a clattering foul on Brown.
Nestled in between all that – Brisbane fans are absolutely howling over what appeared at first glance a cast-iron penalty, fouling a heavy challenge from Jakobsen on Broich!!
67 min: Meanwhile, back in play, it’s a golden opportunity for Oar who conjures, well, frankly an awful header. Poor Manny Muscat’s slipped and the Roar winger finds himself in acres of space inside the box – but his effort sails harmlessly over the bar.
64 min: I’m not often on the same page as Foxsports match-commentator Robbie Slater but I think he’s absolutely on the money here.
For all the fun (for the media) of the off-field comments between coaches, the way these two sets of players are going at it now is not a really pretty advertisement for the game.
Jade North’s reaction to Fornaroli’s light contact has put Neil Kilkenny’s recent simulation absolutely in the shade. And for a player, as well respected as North, to resort to such tactics you really have to wonder what instructions these coaches have given.
Passion is one thing but nobody wants to see a nasty on-field injury caused by such aggression.
62 min: Bouzanis now almost has an absolute howler – he’s played a ball out from the back, straight to the toes of Maclaren, whose control let’s him down and it’s almost a perfect one-two back to the ‘keeper!
59 min: Meanwhile, there’s a game of football going on here, and Jamie Maclaren has won his side a corner.
Also in that series of incredibly high-agitation moments, LuDevere and Fornaroli have had a coming together; DeVere claiming the Uruguayan has kicked out at him, but JVS is now screaming at the assistant referee, he’s shouting “four, four” to emphasise how many times his star man has been fouled (in his eyes).
57 min: Guys, I am honestly struggling to provide the thousand words these pictures need right now.
Dean Bouzanis has been booked for apparently celebrating vigorously in front of the Brisbane bench. He’s run 40m to do so and it’s got the Roar bench incredibly agitated.
Then, referee Evans has given a warning – it appears to be for Roar assistant coach Ross Aloisi – for something that’s transpired off the park. About five of the City coaches are livid; the fourth referee has had to physically intervene. What’s going on??
Jade North puts a thumping tackle in on Fornaroli. The Uruguayan stays down and North stands over him, unnecessarily, to give him a spray. And then it’s North rolling around and clutching his face!
Replays suggest he’s made an absolute meal of that – and while he was down play has continued, and it’s City who have conjured a goal!
52 min: Brandan with a lovely little cameo to get around the reliable Kristensen, but his lofted cross eludes the City players at the far post and it comes to nought.
City now caress it round the back. They’ll have to watch themselves, about four in orange were swarming then, but the patient approach wins out.
North with a strong coming-together with Fornaroli, but it’s then the Roar player who falls to the ground. Was there a reaction from the Uruguayan?
50 min: A bit of heat coming in now. Fornaroli tells opposite skipper Matt McKay – no shrinking violet himself – to “vamos” after a dubious tackle from Oar on the Uruguayan. Then Petratos looks to go in late on one of the City players.
Referee Evans has a real job keeping a lid on this one tonight, it’s really bubbling.
48 min: Jean-Claude van Damme may have visited Australian parliament midweek, but I reckon Fernando Brandan might be my new favourite cult figure. Anyone who wants to dig out the David Squires cartoon in homage to his hair will also be greatly rewarded*.
45 min: And we’re back underway, Brisbane kick off and the late breaking news is that apparently there were some off-colour exchanges in the tunnel at half-time.
Really? Between these two sides? Who would have thought.
He of the unforgettable hair, Fernando Brandan, is on – JVS has blinked first as he’s hooked Retre for the Argentine.
Poor old Manny Muscat – it’s his 200th A-League appearance tonight, and he’s been at fault for the one decisive moment so far.
And speaking of top 15 (ish); he’s just the 16th player in the history of the competition to do so. Great landmark for the former Nix battle-ax.
Name me ten of the others (without Googling) and I’ll send you a delicious treat in the mail. Just perhaps not whizz-fizz because the last time I sent an envelope full of that to a stranger it didn’t end too well.
Top 15, league wide? Well, that’s a claim Vincenzo.
Let me rank the 240+ players we’ve seen on display this A-League season according to approximately 26 different biometric/statistical data sets and I’ll give you my full findings next live blog.
45 min: That’s all! Hingert and Brattan with some verbals as they head down the tunnel. Aloisi positively runs down the tunnel at whistle’s blow, while JVS saunters leisurely. Do you think they don’t want to cross paths? Who could say.
There’s a decent ol’ pulse to this one – don’t be surprised if it really lights up in the second half.
43 min: Maclaren now with a great opening – gee, it’s an action-packed finish to the half – and the prolific striker has really fluffed his lines there!
Brattan fires in a freekick from wide, before Bouzanis hot-steps out in a footrace with the pacy Super Mac.
Colazo then fires a rocket, which Theo palms away brilliantly; AND then Fornaroli is penalised for a heavy challenge, again on Broich!
38 min: Well - I’m claiming that one! Out of absolutely nothing, Maclaren has grabbed the opener! A nothing-flash cross from the right comes in and poor Muscat, who’s been excellent otherwise, completely miscues the clearance and re-directs the balls perfectly at the feet of Jamie Maclaren.
Do you reckon he misses from there? Ny-et.
Aloisi celebrates in subdued fashion (jokes, he doesn’t). Game. On.
35 min: Well, it’s not been a snooze-fest thus far. Plenty of half-opportunities for both sides, a really intriguing match up this. All it needs is a goal to fire proceedings – like one of the five that we just saw as Wanderers and Mariners locked horns earlier.
If you missed that one, it finished 4-1 as a 10-man Western Sydney came and conquered in Gosford.
33 min: City with a sustained patch of pressure here. Fitzgerald tries to whip in a cross, but it’s well-defended. But then in the following passage it’s a sublime header from Anthony Caceres, again off a wonderful Muscat cross, that cannons against the crossbar!
Half the stadium goes up, did that cross the line as it ricochets downwards?! No sir, says referee Shaun Evans, and replays suggest he’s correct.
31 min: Tremendous ball in from Manny Muscat, he teases that sweetly past three in orange, but it just evades the outstretched boot of Bruno Fornaroli!
How close was that for an opener! I wander if that half-metre is the kind the Uruguayan would have gobbled up if he hadn’t been putting in a man-of-the-match shift 72 hours ago.
He looks at the heavens, thinking “Vamos”, what could have been.
28 min: Brown with a good run from left back, before Broich fires in a lovely shot from just outside the box. It takes a deflection and just for a second, it looks like it could have Bouzanis scrambling.. but the City ‘keeper adjusts!
Heart (no pun intended/achieved) in mouth stuff for City coach van ‘t Schip.
25 min: City passing well out of defence once again, but they’re not as fluid in the front third. Alternatively give credit to the Roar defence who step in and snuff out any danger.
Meanwhile, here’s a textbook demonstration of how to smile at somebody without having to look them in the eyes. Lovely stuff:
23 min: Fitzgerald whips a cross in, but now it’s Hingert helping out at the other end, just keeping that ball from a flying Colazo.
Now it’s another former Mariner (how many do they have?) in City colours, as Rose drives a thumping effort from about 30m out – but it continues to rise, and Theo is untroubled. Well struck though.
21 min: It’s Maclaren now with another half-chance – a free header between the centre defenders and he really needs to have done more with that, the fringe Socceroo.
Meanwhile right back Jack Hingert has tried a speculative effort. He’s about 40m out and looks to chip Bouzanis.. who backpedals and just gets a fingertip to it.
17 min: First corner of the night as Fornaroli whips in a dangerous cross, with North misclears, and Theo punches behind.
Colazo lofts deep, but can only find an off-balance Fitzgerald. Huge night for another former Mariners player, he’s not had too many starts has Nick, so expect his eyes to light upon any half-chances tonight.
15 min: Strong challenge from Hingert on Rose, but nothing nasty there, just rugged, and the City man gets to his feet gingerly.
Caceres with it in the middle, what a key game it could be for the former Mariners playmaker with a few faces missing from the Melbourne lineup tonight.
13 min: Bench-fight update: no evidence of fisticuffs yet between master and apprentice. There was a perfunctory handshake a few minutes before kickoff – no words exchanged but a wry smile from Aloisi. And why not when you’ve got such a lovely smile as our John.
11 min: It sails over! Nice power and curve from Colazo, but that’s a good metre or two over Theo’s crossbar who looks non-plussed.
Retre now tries to feed Fornaroli, but he’s well shepherded by North. That will be a good battle tonight, North and DeVere are one of the more physically imposing centre half pairing, the Uruguayan could be in for a tough night.
9 min: City with a meaningful foray forward and Retre is clattered. A freekick about 5m outside the box, you’d fancy the left footed Colazo to have a good look at this. What can the Argentine fashion?
7 min: Theo with the ball in hand, he punts long for Broich but City cut it out. In contrast Bouzanis looks to build out from the back, playing short passes with Brattan. It’s believed van ‘t Schip prefers him to the EPL veteran Sorensen more or less on the basis of his distribution; we’ll watch how that unfolds.
And again, it’s Roar with another sighter on goal; but it’s Petratos that drags his shot badly wide. A lack of cohesion in this much-changed City XI?
5 min: City with the bulk of possession early on; not surprisingly given they’re the home side and Roar’s tactics of hitting on the counter against them last time out.
It almost opens up for the Roar, and it’s Oar again – seemingly through – but he looks to cross for a teammate. Oh, Tommy. Surely he has to take that on himself!
3 min: First glimpse at some goalmouth action as Oar tries to get round Chapman with his blistering pace. The City centrehalf does well to stay with him and his shot rolls across Bouzanis, but also the far post. A good early sighter for the goal-shy winger.
1 min: Referee Shaun Evans says “let’s do this” and it’s City who see the early possession. Brattan tries a 40m ball but it’s lofted straight into touch. They’ll need their midfield conductor to elicit sweeter notes than that, fans will hope.
Players are out, a minute’s silence has been impeccably observed for the victims of the horrific plane accident in Colombia, and we’re just about to get rolling.
Six changes from the XI that took on Sydney FC midweek, goalscorer Cahill drops to the bench as do lightning wingers Brandan and Kamau. Neil Kilkenny will be a huge loss, he’s suspended for this clash, so we’ll likely see a reversion to a 4-3-3 rather than the 3-4-3 experimentation we’ve seen earlier in the season.
A more settled line-up as you’d expect for the Roar, expect Arana and Borrello to feature in proceeding later in the piece. Petratos comes in with the news that Brett Holman is out injured.
Hihi. Richard Parkin in the chair at Guardian HQ, your loyal companion for the next few hours, and what a match this could turn into.
We’re not too far from kickoff, but remember you can have your say in tonight’s coverage. Quips, insights, spelling corrections all welcome – fire the old skool way to richard.parkin.casual@theguardian.com, or @rrjparkin to be like the kids.
Well, where do you start with this one? Melbourne City won their first ever silverware midweek with their FFA Cup final victory over Sydney FC; then captain Bruno Fornaroli offered a, well, curious sign-off on his acceptance speech; an even more bizarre apology; and then John van ‘t Schip lit the blue touchpaper over rival coach John Aloisi’s constant “whinging”. Molto drama.
Aloisi has been vocal in his criticism of his erstwhile club’s “physical” approach, but it’s not the first time he’s found an excuse to take a swipe at his former employees. Van ‘t Schip returned fire, and then some, and gave Aloisi the full Fornaroli “vamos” treatment.
“He’s talking again about us. He’s always having a go at us,” said van ‘t Schip.
“It’s getting a bit childish, he’s whinging like a baby.
“He’s criticising us, the whole team, instead of maybe congratulating us on the win and the club that gave him the opportunity to be a head coach.
“But that’s obviously not his style.”
Phwaor. Do you reckon there will be an edge to this one?
In truth the midweek final was euphemistically “combative” and it will be interesting to see if City have recovered from the various knocks (as well as the sneaky champagnes afterwards).
Roar’s record against Melbourne is however near awful at AAMI Park, so perhaps that’s part of both coaches motivation in raising the stakes around this one.
It’s second v fourth, and they only met a few rounds back in Brisbane. Get your slippers. Get your kippers. This one could be a cracker.
Richard will be here shortly, but in the interim, enjoy John van ‘t Schip’s forthright comments on opposite number and former coaching colleague John Aloisi.
