A-League Grand Final: Brisbane Roar v Western Sydney Wanderers
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Welcome to our live coverage of the season decider from Suncorp Stadium as Brisbane Roar look to make it three titles in four seasons while the Wanderers will be out go one better than their fairytale debut season.
Hope you're settling in for what should be an exciting afternoon of football.
Kickoff is at 4pm local time, with Fox Sports 2 showing the game live. SBS has the match on delay, and its telecast begins at 4.30pm.
If you're following the game on Twitter, the official hashtags for today's match are #BRIvWSW and #ALeagueGF.
Brisbane Roar tweets from @brisbaneroar, while the Wanderers are @wswanderers.
That sure was intimidating as @wswanderersfc take over @suncorpstadium for #ALeagueGF pic.twitter.com/b9n3B8ZI6v — Sam Squiers (@SamSquiers) May 4, 2014
Brilliant stuff whoever did this! @ALeague @brisbaneroar @wswanderersfc #ALeagueGF #BRIvWSW @starwars pic.twitter.com/m20bOLmfci — Blair Hughes (@MrBlairHughes) May 4, 2014
Here are the lineups for today's match:
Brisbane Roar
Michael Theo (GK), Matt Smith (C), Jade North, Ivan Franjic, Shane Stefanutto, Luke Brattan, Liam Miller, Thomas Broich, Dimitri Petratos, Besart Berisha.
Subs: Matthew Acton, James Donachie, Steve Lustica, Henrique, Jean Carlos Solarzano
Western Sydney Wanderers
Ante Covic (GK) , Matthew Spiranovic, Jerome Polenz, Adam D'Apuzzo, Nikolai Topor-Stanley (C), Mark Bridge, Youssouf Hersi, Shinji Ono, Mateo Poljak, Iacopo La Rocca, Brendon Santalab.
Subs: Jerrad Tyson, Aaron Mooy, Shannon Cole, Tomi Juric, Labinot Haliti
What an atmosphere here at Suncorp! Almost a packed house and perfect conditions. A huge cheer as the players walk out onto the ground.null
Shane Brady writes: The Cauldron is a picture for what should be a tight, tense decider between two teams of contrasting styles.
Suncorp is surely one of the great sporting theatres in Australia, particularly for football. There is barely a bad seat in the place and it is purpose-built for noise.
The RBB have one end the Den the other. Expect a chant-off to lift the roof but the Wanderers will be hoping to silence the Orange majority early because apart from the Den, Brisbane crowds can be a little passive.
I’m tipping the Wanderers by one. I think they’ll just be hungrier and have been steeled by tough Asian Champions league matches while the Roar have been cruising.
Here we go!
3rd: Ono floats a free kick into the Brisbane box but it clears a sea of players. Both sides struggling to build any attacks in the opening minutes.
7th: I'd say the Wanderers have started the brighter of these two sides so far, but there's not been much to write about. Santalab is playing in a role striker role with Hersi and Bridge supporting on the flanks.
7th: Ono with a corner now...and Broich nods it clear. Referee Peter Green blows for a foul and Brisbane have possession.
9th: Broich has already been fouled a few times in the opening 10 minutes. He's been the most fouled player in the league this year, so no surprises. Fellow German Jerome Polenz will have the task of containing the Brisbane maestro on the left flank.
11th: "RBB ole, ole, ole" is drowning out whatever the Roar fans are chanting. Another WSW corner...
It's The Den vs The Red and Black Brigade in the fan battle. Between 8000-10,000 Wanderers fans have made the trip up to the River City for this one.
1st: And we're under way! Game on! WSW to kick off. Just a reminder this will go to extra time and penalties if required if we're level after 90 minutes.
12th: And Luke Brattan hoofs it clear, but now we have another corner on the opposite wing. All Wanderers in the opening minutes.
13th: Brisbane clear again but they're struggling to clear the ball from their own half. Besart Berisha has been a virtual spectator so far.
15th: The ball strikes Ivan Franjic on the arm in the area but no penalty given and not much protest from the Wanderers. Lucky escape for the Roar as the Wanderers pin them in their half for extended periods. 0-0
18th: Brisbane's central midfield trio of Brattan, Miller and McKay are slowly wrestling back control. But it's been a dour struggle so far. Neither side has had a clear-cut chance.
19th: And there it is, the first shot at goal that is. It's a tame effort from Ono and Theo catches comfortably from distance.
20th: Huge boos as a free kick is given against Broich for a foul on Polenz. Ono whips in the free kick and Brisbane clear. Now there's more boos as Santalab goes in late on Berisha. Ref keeps his cards in his pocket.
23rd: Chances galore! Santalab's header balloons up in the air and is caught by Theo. Brisbane took it down the other end but Berisha was unable to get a clean strike away from 12 yards.
26th: About 2 minutes earlier there were a couple of great chances. Santalab's header ballooned up in the air and is caught by Theo. Brisbane took it down the other end but Berisha was unable to get a clean strike away from 12 yards.
Almost 20 minutes down here and we're locked into an arm wrestle. Wanderers pressing well, Roar trying to find rhythm #ALeagueGF — Sebastian Hassett (@sebth) May 4, 2014
29th: "Always look on the left side for Broich," chant the Roar fans (As in, Always look on the bright side of life).
Goes good, Broich #ALeagueGF — Phil Lutton (@phillutton78) May 4, 2014
30th: Laughs all round! Santalab goes to control a bouncing ball but kicks it into his face. Benny Hill stuff there. Even the WSW striker had to grin at that.
Western Sydney Wanderers' fans settling in behind the goal #ALeagueGF #BRIvWSW pic.twitter.com/003nW8qkMC — Sebastian Hassett (@sebth) May 4, 2014
Santalab's link-up has been top notch so far and his physical presence has rattled the Roar a little. #ALeagueGF — Dominic Bossi (@DomBossi) May 4, 2014
24th: Now it's a yellow for Santalab who went in late on Berisha. The offside flag goes up from the resulting free kick and the attack comes to nothing.
28th: Oh so close! Brisbane on the counter, McKay set up Broich and the German launched one from distance. It fizzed inches past the right post. Best chance of the match.
33rd: There's a short stoppage in play with Santalab in the hands of the trainer. What an atmosphere at this game though. I'll go out on a limb and say the A-League has never seen anything like this.
34th: Santalab gives the thumbs up and back he comes on to the pitch. He's been impressive up front and has given North and Smith plenty of hassles.
39th: It's a long-range effort from Poljack, but Theo is able to smother the ball with ease. And another yellow for WSW with Adam D'Appuzo going in the book for a challenge on Franjic. There's a few words shared afterwards. Good Grand Final football!
41st: A moment of panic for Covic as the ball spills in the box! Berisha, Topor-Stanley and the keeper collided after a long ball was dinked into the box. The veteran keeper was able to recover it though.
43rd: Ono spurns a chance after Bridge and Poljak created some nice build-up play. The Japanese star's touch let him down and instead of shooting from inside the box he ended up having to cross it in from the by-line. Brisbane clear and it remains 0-0
44th: And Franjic hits the crossbar! It was a cross-cum-shot that looped over Covic's head. Despair among the Brisbane fans. 0-0
45th: Covic called into action again, this time from a Luke Brattan drive from a tight angle. He holds it nicely. 0-0
45th: One minute of added time to come.
Well that certainly ended in a flurry. Brisbane sparked to life in the final minutes and the Wanderers will be thankful for the half-time whistle. I wonder what the coaches will say at the break. WSW started brightly but the game plan of long balls into Santalab was quickly picked apart by the Roar. Dimitri Petratos has had a tough time of it on the Brisbane's right wing. The "Slippery Fish", Henrique, will surely be called upon if Brisbane can't hit the front by the hour mark.
And that's half time. It remains as we started, 0-0.