Auckland beat Roar to extend ALM ladder lead
Joel Gould |
Auckland have gone five points clear at the top of the A-League Men ladder after consigning Brisbane Roar to their third straight loss with a 2-0 win.
Striker Sam Cosgrove and winger Lachlan Brook continued their outstanding form with goals in the sixth and 73rd minute respectively at Suncorp Stadium on Friday.
Auckland went to 24 points, six clear of the fourth-placed Roar, who remain on 18 points after being kept scoreless for a third straight game.
“I’m obviously happy with where we are,” Auckland coach Steve Corica said.
“We took our chances at the right time. Clean sheet, great. Two goals, good. We can still get better and be a little more ruthless in front of goal.
“The good thing is we got the second goal that put the nail in their coffin.”
Roar coach Michael Valkanis said a gruelling schedule was now behind them.
“I’m so happy that we’re through this period, and it’s over and we can reset,” he said.
“Let’s not hide behind playing four games in 10 days. It’s not an excuse.
“It’s normal that the players will be very tired, and we’ve had to rotate and change. It was a period where we knew it was going to be tough.”
The visitors had a dream start when English striker Cosgrove scored his fifth goal of the season in the sixth minute.
A curling corner by Francis De Vries was “chested” over the line by Cosgrove at the back post after a mix-up between Roar defender Hosine Bility and goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis.
There were suggestions the ball had hit Cosgrove on the arm, but it was cleared by VAR.
Deception down the left wing by Jesse Randall and a pinpoint cross was headed just over the bar by Cosgrove, who was a dominant physical presence up front.
A fingertip save by Bouzanis denied a fierce Cosgrove strike as the home side scrapped well to stay in the game.
A fierce run by Roar striker Justin Long and powerful shot just wide before halftime was their best chance of an equaliser.
Brook then stepped up with a scything run down the right, before cutting back and unleashing a swerving left-foot strike that Bouzanis could not stop from sliding inside the far post.
It was the fifth goal of the season for the 24-year-old, who is proving one of the signings of the season.
Brisbane were without inspirational captain Jay O’Shea (ankle) and striker Justin Vidic (flu).
Football Australia is still investigating an allegation that Vidic was racially abused by highly rated Melbourne City youngster Medin Memeti in City’s 1-0 win on Tuesday night.
The City forward is of Albanian heritage and is accused of calling Vidic, of Serbian heritage, a “gypsy”, a term that has derogatory connotations in the Balkan region.
AAP
