The last time Brisbane Roar hosted Adelaide United the all-conquering A-League champions hammered the Reds 7-1.
How times have changed.
Adelaide coach John Kosmina didn’t quite earn bragging rights on Sunday but he certainly had something to brag about after his lowly side held the Roar to a 1-1 draw.
Second-last United were out of the A-League finals mix and seemingly down and out when they arrived in freezing Uzbekistan mid-week for their ACL opener against FC Bunyodkor before emerging surprise 2-1 victors.
In contrast, the Roar were outclassed 2-0 by FC Tokyo in Brisbane on Tuesday night in their ACL opener.
The local form guide was thrown out the window on Sunday as Adelaide went within a whisker of causing one of the season boilovers in front of a 10,739-strong Suncorp Stadium crowd.
“We finished on Tuesday night, got on a plane, came up here and continued where we left off,” Adelaide coach John Kosmina said.
“I think it capped a fantastic week and the players should be congratulated.
“It was a hell of an effort to do what they did on Tuesday night and then come back here.”
The Roar suffered their first loss since the end of January when they went down to FC Tokyo – and it could so easily have been two straight on Sunday.
The omens weren’t good when United drew first blood in the 14th minute through Iain Ramsay and Roar young gun Luke Brattan was stretchered off in the 26th with what appeared to be a serious knee injury.
Fringe Olyroo Brattan was making a rare start after the Roar had lost midfield workhorse Massimo Murdocca (shoulder) and playmaker Mitch Nichols (groin).
And even though the Roar did draw level through Besart Berisha’s 18th goal of the season in the 70th minute, everything seemed to go awry for Brisbane with the usually reliable Thomas Broich duffing four scoring chances.
Kosmina had few complaints as he kept one eye on their next ACL clash – at Hindmarsh Stadium against Gamba Osaka on March 20.
“We came here to practise what we wanted to do in the Champions League,” he said.
“It is about building confidence, discipline and mental strength.”
Clearly revitalised by their ACL success, Kosmina refused to wonder what might have been with their A-League season.
“You can’t change anything so you don’t worry about it,” he said.
“But you look at what we have achieved today – that is probably more important than the result.”
Kosmina also heaped praise on Mark Birighitti who stepped up for regular keeper Eugene Galekovic (back).
Postecoglou refused to blame the condition of the pitch which has hosted four games in three codes in six days.
“Obviously the ground is not in the greatest nick today. But that’s football,” he said.
Besides Brattan, the Roar also had concerns for Rocky Visconte (ankle).
