Sydney FC made to sweat by Brisbane Roar

If the mark of a champion is to win no matter how you play, we might as well tell Sydney FC to keep the Premiers Plate.

Sydney FC striker Adam Le Fondre celebrates after scoring the sole goal against Brisbane Roar Picture: Getty Images

If the mark of a champion is to win no matter how you play, we might as well tell Sydney FC to keep the Premiers Plate for another year.

On a hot and humid night, the Sky Blues eased 13 points clear at the top of the A-League thanks to a 1-0 defeat of Brisbane that offered little to stir the senses.

It took a soft penalty to breach the Roar’s packed defence, but such is the gap at the top that Sydney can probably sail home in third gear.

With 15 goals after 15 rounds, Adam Le Fondre is dead equal with Bobo at the same point in 2017-18, the season the Brazilian marksmen obliterated the A-League scoring record for a campaign.

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Bobo ended up with 27, a mark many felt would stand for years – but Le Fondre is nothing if not confident in himself, as was evident from the blistering penalty that secured the points.

In truth it was a marginal decision; a slick Sydney move sent the ball down the right and into the box for Milos Ninkovic to flick it towards Le Fondre.

The Englishman’s shot grazed the arm of Scott Neville, a penalty was given, and Neville – booked shortly before for dissent – was off.

“It’s three points and another clean sheet but it wasn’t the best of games,” said Sydney coach Steve Corica with more than a hint of understatement.

“Brisbane sat deep, they were difficult to break down. It was also very humid out there and that takes its toll.”

The once-mighty Roar are now just an echo, a memory of the dominant and intuitive attacking that once was synonymous with Brisbane’s football identity.

Robbie Fowler has assembled a team of journeymen in Brisbane, tactically disciplined but with little ambition beyond stopping the opposition.

“I thought we were brilliant, coming here to a tough place against a team that have been excellent all year,” said Fowler. “Even with 10 men we kept the ball well. We played with discipline, every player knew their job.”

The Daily Telegraph