Melbourne Heart FC shot into the top six of the Hyundai A-League with an emphatic 4-1 victory over a stunned Brisbane Roar at AAMI Park
Melbourne Heart FC shot into the top six of the Hyundai A-League with an emphatic 4-1 victory over a stunned Brisbane Roar at AAMI Park.
Facing the reigning champions after three losses on the trot, Heart clicked into gear at home, bouncing back in stunning style to register the Red and White-s second win of the season.
A first-half Patrick Gerhardt strike followed by a three-goal spell in just 12 second half minutes saw Heart brush aside a slight form slump in the best possible fashion.
The Heart started brightly, threatening early through Mate Dugandzic, Nick Kalmar and Richard Garcia, but it was and Gerhardt who ventured forward in the 21st minute to snatch the opener, sliding in Dugandzic-s right-wing cross past Roar keeper Michael Theo.
Man-of-the-match Richard Garcia was influential for the Heart, with the holding midfielder pushed into a more advanced role and he profited from a fine piece of skill from Josip Tadic in the 62nd minute to hand Heart a 2-0 lead.
Tadic feigned a shot before turning on a sixpence and, unselfishly, cut the ball to Garcia who duly buried a left-footed strike past Theo.
Nine minutes later, the pair combined again as Tadic played a lovely back heel into the path of Garcia who was floored in the box by a sturdy Matt Jurman challenge.
Tadic stepped up to bury his effort from the spot, sending Theo the wrong way for his second goal in as many matches.
Heart were four goals to the good just four minutes later as the home side caught Roar on the break.
Aziz Behich showed superb pace down the left flank and nudged an accurate through pass to substitute David Williams who just shaded the offside trap.
With Williams isolated and one-on-one, he made no mistake with his finish, blasting home past Theo with a fantastic right-footed strike.
Brisbane pulled a goal back in the final 10 minutes as Henrique turned in a low cross in the 82nd minute, but Heart held on for a morale-boosting win.
Match Details:
Melbourne Heart (Gerhardt 20-, Garcia 62-, Tadic (pen) 71-, Williams 73-)
Brisbane Roar (Henrique 82-)
at AAMI Park, Melbourne
Crowd: 5466
Melbourne Heart FC: 1. Clint Bolton (GK), 2. Michael Marrone, 4. Simon Colosimo, 6. Patrick Gerhardt, 8. Matt Thompson (capt), 10. Josip Tadic (9. Dylan Macallister 82-), 11. Richard Garcia, 16. Aziz Behich, 17. Jason Hoffman, 22. Nicholas Kalmar (15. David Williams 61-), 23. Mate Dugandzic.
Substitutes not used: 20. Andrew Redmayne (GK), 24. Samuel Mitchinson.
Yellow cards: Gerhardt (37-), Hoffman (49-), Colosimo (76-)
Red cards: Nil
Brisbane Roar FC: 1. Michael Theo, 2. Matt Smith, 3. Shane Stefanutto (19. Jack Hingert 83-), 4. Matt Durman, 5. Ivan Franjic, 6. Erik Paartalu, 8. Massimo Murdocca (18. Luke Brattan 65-), 10. Henrique, 11. Ben Halloran, 17. Mitch Nichols (24. Nick Fitzgerald 69-), 22. Thomas Broich.
Substitutes not used: 20. Matt Acton (GK).
Yellow cards: Jurman 10-, Smith 61-
Red cards: Nil
