Sydney FC and Queensland Roar will head to Suncorp Stadium locked together after an intriguing first leg of the Minor Semi Final ended in the third 0-0 draw of the season at Sydney Football Stadium tonight.
Sydney FC and Queensland Roar will head to Suncorp Stadium locked together after an intriguing first leg of the Minor Semi Final ended in the third 0-0 draw of the season at Sydney Football Stadium tonight.
The boys in blue were successful in keeping a clean sheet at home, denying the fast-paced and attack-minded visitors from scoring a valuable away goal despite an abundance of early chances.
In a game of two halves Queensland had the better chances in the first half before Sydney took control after the break.
Queensland-s Reinaldo missed a golden opportunity to draw first blood for the northerners within the first few minutes of play, air-swinging before the goal to the relief of the 23,450 crowd.
The visitors maintained the pressure on Sydney throughout the first half, with Clint Bolton called into action to make critical saves on his line from dangerous low shots by Marcinho and Sasa Ognenovski.
Sydney-s chances increased dramatically in the second half, Alex Brosque prominent at the pointy end of Sydney-s attack in many nerve-racking one-on-ones with Queensland keeper, Griffin McMaster, often forced far off his line to clear the trouble.
Brosque-s 51st minute effort left many hearts in mouths when he shrugged off Queensland-s Andrew Packer, leaving the way forward clear. Brosque ran into the 18 yard box to face off with McMaster, but he could only sky the shot into a dismayed Cove.
Brosque also combined with Juninho in the 57th and 81st to come tantalizingly close from latching onto the Brazilian maestro-s trademark through balls, but brilliant saves from McMaster, one a courageous point blank save with his knees, denied the tried and tested strike force from creating a goal.
Queensland nearly served up a fabulous opportunity for Sydney FC to go one up when keeper McMaster got a hand on a free kick, only to tip it backwards and towards the goal. The screaming crowd was soon silenced however when Queensland defender Joshua McCloughan flicked the ball back over his head out of harm-s way.
Close chances fell to Sydney-s young strikers, Brendon Santalab and Patrick, in the dying minutes, but none bore fruit.
The physical match claimed a casualty in Robbie Middleby who injured his hamstring as a result of a foul by Sasa Ognenovski.
The final outcome of the minor semi final will be decided on 8 February at Queensland-s Suncorp Stadium.
Sydney FC 0 drew Queensland Roar 0
Sydney Football Stadium
Referee: Mark Shield
Crowd: 23,450
Sydney FC: Clint Bolton, Iain Fyfe, Tony Popovic (captain), Robbie Middleby (Ruben Zadkovich 26-), Steve Corica (Patrick 74-), Alex Brosque (Brendon Santalab 82-), Terry McFlynn, Mark Milligan, Juninho, Ufuk Talay, Brendan Renaud.
Substitutes not used: Ivan Necevski (gk), Mark Robertson.
Yellow cards: Mark Milligan, Brendan Renaud, Ufuk Talay.
Red cards: None.
Queensland Roar: Griffin McMaster, Andrew Packer, Craig Moore (captain), Josh McCloughlan, Michael Zullo (Tahj Minniecon 71-), Massimo Murdocca, Reinaldo, Matt McKay, Saso Ognenovski, Robbie Kruse (Mitchell Nichols 90-), Marcinho.
Substitutes not used: Simon Lynch, Hyuk-Su Seo, Justin Pasfield (gk).
Yellow cards: Sasa Ognenovski, Matt McKay.
Red cards: None.
