Lions FC 0
Brosbane City 1 (Sibatuara 44′)
HT 0-1
Sam Sibatuara’s goal late in the first half proved enough for City to take all three points in the ‘Brisbane Classico’ between these two traditional rivals at Lions Stadium on Saturday evening.
In a scrappy first half that saw more offsides from both sides than opportunities on goal, the game sprung into life late on. A scramble on City’s near post almost saw Carter Glockner squeeze the ball in before the best chance of the half fell to Shaun Carlos when presented with an open goal from some 25 yards out after City keeper Jake Clancy had gone walkabout, but Carlos’s effort drifted wide of the target, pretty much summing up the evening for the hosts.
Moments later, City broke at the other end with Alex Fiechtner through on goal but Luke Borean did well to solidly block the effort.
City then pounced on some poor defending by Lions from a throw when Sibatuara was found alone on the edge of the six yard box with a cut back from Tristan Hugo, tucking the ball beyond Borean for what would prove the eventual winner.
The hosts, in typical fashion, responded in the second half and took the game to City.
The visitors lost keeper Clancy just two minutes into the half when he pulled up with what appeared to be a calf strain following playing the ball up field from his box. Finn Matheson replacing him.
Chances came and went as the hosts were unable to put the finishing touch on a number of forays.
Mitch Hore blazed over from the edge of the box when well placed and shortly after, following a free kick clearance from the visitors, Andy Thompson’s snap shot from 25 yards out was gathered by Matheson.
Another spell saw the hosts with crosses from left to right and back again that evaded the City defence as Nathan Reardon and Jean Carlos Solorzano were both unable to apply a boot to the ball.
The hosts pressed and had a couple of opportunities deep in added time. A Josh Brindell-South cross was met with a diving header from Reardon who had Matheson stranded but was unable to guide the ball on target.
A minute later Thompson’s deep cross floated onto the bar as the hosts almost found the leveller.
City gathered themselves and managed to hold the ball a the other end before Sibatuara almost got his second with a shot from just outside the box that drifted just over Borean’s goal.
In truth it wasn’t one of Lions better performances and with Moreton Bay Utd winning, Lions drop out of the top four of the NPL ladder. They do have games in hand which can propel them back into the four with a tough test away to Brisbane Strikers coming up next weekend.
Before that, attention turns to the FFA Cup with a home tie against FQPL side Rochedale Rovers coming up on Wednesday evening. Coach Warren Moon will be expecting a response from his side following just the third defeat of the season.
Moony’s Remarks:
“The bottom line is we weren’t good enough from start to finish. Whether City were good or indifferent, although I felt they were good; we knew what they were going to do and how they were going to press us and we set up for it. We were just simply not good enough. We were lethargic, passes weren’t good enough.”
“In every facet of the play we were out-played, out-fought, out-competed, out-worked. There was desperation from the opposition and I hate to say, but we got what we deserved.”
Team line-ups:
Lions FC:
Borean (gk), Reardon, Jarrard, Hore, Kim, Brindell-South, Maher, Macauce, Glockner, Carlos, Hore.
Subs: Cuminao (rgk), Thompson, Junna, Walpole, Solorazno.
Brisbane City:
Clancy (gk), Aulton, Halliday, Sibatuara, P. Hugo, Fiechtner, Bolton, Falso, Beagley, T. Hugo, Dimitroff.
Subs: Matheson (rgk), Shizuno, Thomas, Bird, Stuart.
