Brisbane Roar surged into first place on the Hyundai A-League table after an emphatic 4 – 1 victory over Wellington Phoenix at Westpac Stadium on Wednesday night.
Brisbane showed why they are the hottest side in the A-League at the moment as they produced a clinical performance to end the Phoenix’s 24 home game unbeaten streak.
A lone goal to Tim Brown was only consolation for the Phoenix as Kosta Barbarouses proved to be the ghost of Christmas past for his former club.
Barbarouses came back to haunt the side that released him at the end of last season by scoring and then setting up a goal for Thomas Broich before Massimo Murdocca and Mitch Nichols added their names to the score sheet for Brisbane.
Brisbane got off to a roaring start when Barbarouses scored in the first minutes after his team opened the Phoenix’s defence up like a can of beans.
Brisbane showed why their style of football is the benchmark of the A-League this season as Broich, Matt McKay and Barbarouses combined nicely to produce some fine penetrating, and at times, poetic passing.
Paul Ifill looked back to his best with his dazzling footwork causing headaches for Brisbane’s defence, resuming his role as the Phoenix’s chief attacker.
With Brisbane in firm control of the match, the Phoenix upped their intensity in an effort to wrestle their way back into contention.
Tim Brown equalised for the home side in the 36th minute with a clean half volley that beat Michael Theoklitos to the far post after Brisbane failed to clear the ball.
Broich responded for Brisbane just before half time when he got on the end of a Barbarouses cross to give his side a 2-1 lead going into the break.
Murdocca extended Brisbane’s lead and drove a dagger into the heart of the Phoenix when he produced a fine finish in the 75th minute after a sublime slideral pass from substitute Solórzano.
Ifill went close on a couple of occasions as the Phoenix huffed and puffed in an attempt to pull themselves back into the match.
Any dying ember of Phoenix’ hope was well and truly extinguished when Broich added another assist to his season’s tally as he set up Mitch Nichols for a cool finish for Brisbane’s fourth, minutes before full time.
Ange Postecoglou’s men will leave the Cake Tin with a timely boost of confidence in preparation for their top of the table clash against Adelaide United at Suncorp Stadium this weekend.
The 4-1 loss leaves the Phoenix outside the top six with Ricki Herbert left with the task of shoring up his leaky defence before their clash against Perth Glory across the Nullarbor on Sunday.
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