Still smarting from the loss of former head coach Ross Aloisi, Brisbane Roar went down 8-1 to Melbourne City at AAMI Park on Thursday night, a defeat described as “probably the worst performance we’ve ever had since I’ve been...
Still smarting from the loss of former head coach Ross Aloisi, Brisbane Roar went down 8-1 to Melbourne City at AAMI Park on Thursday night, a defeat described as “probably the worst performance we’ve ever had since I’ve been at the club” by Roar midfielder Jay O’Shea.
The stunning result equals the largest win in A-League history.
Brisbane’s shocking defence leaked three goals in the first half before the wheels completely fell off in the second 45 minutes, conceding five more times.
Looking more shell-shocked as the game wore on, the seven-goal margin set an unwanted record for the Roar, who capitulated in the face of an increasingly rampant City.
Capitalising on his foe’s defensive woes, Jamie Maclaren feasted as he helped pile pain on to what has been a catastrophic week for the visitors.
The second of Maclaren’s three scores brought up his 150th all-time league goal, and his third his 100th in a City shirt.
(Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)
The A-League’s all-time goalscoring leader across its 19-year history, the City skipper trails only Damien Mori’s 240 on Australia’s all-time national league goalscoring charts.
It was a disastrous debut for Roar’s caretaker coach Luciano Trani, who took over after Aloisi’s abrupt resignation on Christmas Eve, reportedly to take up an assistant coaching role in China.
His side was down 1-0 after just 10 minutes when Curtis Good headed home from a corner.
Maclaren then slid in at the far post to meet a low ball across the face of goal from Marin Jakolis to make it two just four minutes later.
A perfectly placed ball down the left flank by Aziz Behich then allowed Maclaren to make it 3-0 heading into half-time.
Natel registered his first and second goals for City in the second half with strikes in the 49th and 70th minutes, efforts sandwiched around Maclaren turning in another Jakolis delivery for his third.
Rylan Brownlie, 16, became Roar’s youngest ever ALM goalscorer in the 62nd minute.
Brownlie’s slice of history was overshadowed somewhat as City poured in yet more goals, players lining up to get in on the act as Tolgay Arslan struck in the 76th minute and Ben Mazzeo in the 85th.
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