Sydney FC dull Brisbane's roar

Brisbane Roar were defeated in a 4-0 shock drubbing by home side Sydney FC with the undefeated sky blue outfit handing Roar their largest loss in the history of the W-League.

The score line, however, did not tell the whole story.

The visitors started the match the better with Belinda Wilson's side coming out with real intensity.

The ball spent a lot of the opening stanza at the swift feet of Tameka Butt and Katrina Gorry, with the attack providing continual overlapping runs in an attempt to thwart the Sydney backline.

A few desperate tackles from Alesha Clifford and Renee Rollason the only thing between Butt and Hayley Raso and an early Roar goal.

The best opportunity of the game for Roar came via a long-range rocket by Gorry but the impeccable shot was only matched by former Roar and now Sydney ‘keeper Casey Dumont's top shelf save.

It proved to be a defining moment.

Had the Roar, with their tales up, hit the lead early, as they have done in the past, it may have been a different result.  In the end Sydney settled and did what they have done this season; take it up a gear.

This was arguably Sydney's most complete performance of the season.

Player of the Match deservedly went to Sydney midfielder Teresa Polias who corralled the central midfield with aplomb and, as is her trademark, tracked back in times of peril to make invaluable tackles.

Polias was crucial in denying the Roar midfield any passing rhythm.

Polias along with Nicola Bolger and Leena Khamis, who looked more settled in her midfield role, never allowed Elise Kellond-Knight and the dangerous Butt to settle in the midfield.

A big win for Sydney considering they were up against the Matildas midfield combination.

Emma Kete ran full pelt for 90 minutes and barely faltered despite tenacious marking from Roar’s Vedrana Popovic.  While Jodie Taylor demonstrated the Sydney depth by scoring a brace in between being subbed on and off.

Youngster’s Amy Harrison and Liz Ralston were pacey in defence keeping a lid on the skilful and quick Roar forwards.

Ralston in particular looks to be a defender of the future.

Alen Stajcic, who knows a thing or two about football, contends she is one of the best in the country in 1v1 defending and that was on show whether the 5'3 Ralston was up against Emily Gielnik or Hayley Raso.

To add injury to insult for Roar, a key player for Sydney was Dumont who finished her 50^th W-league game with a clean sheet against her former club.

The second goal from Sydney was reminiscent of their stunning interplay against Melbourne Victory except this time it was a whopping 26 pass build-up that settled on a Leena Khamis tap in.

The question on everybody’s lips at this point is: can this Sydney FC team be stopped?

The answer simply is, yes.

Early on Brisbane had they chances and incursions into the Sydney final third.  The key was the quick ball movement and overloading of that front third.

Popovic and Joanne Burgess joined in the attack and it looked like sheer numbers would overwhelm the home side.  However, it couldn't be sustained.

Brisbane's usual pressing and harassing of the ball carrier was just a little below their usual standards and they were made to pay for it.

It must also be noted that Brisbane were without their captain Claire Polkinghorne due to injury.  Polkinghorne is probably the best in the league at picking out passing lanes and drive and leadership makes Roar a better organised unit.

If Polkinghorne was available, this likely would have hindered Bolger and Sam Kerr’s interplay with Taylor.

In a losing side, Katrina Gorry was again sensational.  However, with Gorry rightfully driving the team forward, Kellond-Knight couldn't handle all midfield spot fires on her own while Laura Alleway and Kim Carroll were under constant danger.

Further to this FIFA Ballon d'Or winning Roar goalkeeper Nadine Angerer was also benched due to jetlag and a niggling quad injury.

Stewart worked hard and bravely for Roar in the nets but Angerer’s experience and commanding edge may have been the solution to Jodie Taylor’s brace – one in which Taylor shot from a tight angle and the other where she ran half the field and beat Stewart on a cutback.

Brisbane Roar are a high performing side but on this occasion they were outplayed in the course of this game.

Brisbane Roar may have lost heavily to Sydney FC but the Sky Blues would be unwise to put all their chickens in this basket (win) and rest on their laurels.

The W-League just wouldn’t be the W-League without a dramatic Sydney v Brisbane finals show-down so grab some popcorn and prepare for the third act in this compelling drama.