It's taken 715 days but "Fortress Allianz" has finally been breached in the A-League. Sydney FC's dominant domestic home record that has lasted the better part of two years came to end on Saturday night after a lethargic 2-1 defeat to Brisbane Roar.
Slumber at set-pieces and intervention from the Video Assistant Referee toppled the Sky Blues at their seemingly intimidating home as Brisbane Roar sealed one of the shocks of the season to breathe life back into the A-League.
Too little, too late: Milos Ninkovic pulls a goal back for Sydney FC against the Roar at Allianz Stadium.
The race for the A-League premiership is back on after Sydney FC's lead was reduced to just five points following Newcastle United's earlier win. The result blew the hunt for the top six wide open with just four points separating fifth and eighth.
More immediately, it was another strong wake-up call to a Sky Blues side who are enduring a rare period of complacency and subsequent inconsistent performances and results. Nothing displayed that better than their haphazard defending off set-pieces which cost them twice and could have cost them a third goal.
Just nine minutes in, Brisbane's shortest player on the field, Matt McKay, pounced on the generous defending and lack of marking to make a run from deep towards the near post, glancing a header into the corner of the net. Sydney FC goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne got a hand to it but not enough to turn his shot away from goal.
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SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
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