Brisbane sinks battling Adelaide

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BRISBANE Roar's Besart Berisha drove a dagger twice into the heart of Adelaide United in a 2-1 tiki-taka face off at Coopers Stadium on Friday night.

Osama Malik opened the Reds account before Berisha equalised and scored his first in an action packed end-to-end clash as both sides buoyed by tiki-taka wanted to boss each other off the park.

Berisha, however, had the last laugh 18 minutes from time when Adelaide gave up its ninth goal of the season after the 60th minute this season.

Adelaide allowing Roar to dictate a passage of midfield proved to be extremely costly when Luke Brattan gave Berisha the ball unchallenged on the edge of the box with the Reds legs' tiring.

Berisha from the edge of the box danced past Jon McKain, spun around Malik and Tarek Elrich before sliding the ball into the back of the net.

It was the fifth time this season Adelaide had lost a lead but it should have had an equaliser seven minutes before the death.

Reds coach Josep Gombau tries to get his point across. Source: Getty Images

Sergio Cirio smashing an 8m drive into the legs of Roar gloveman Matt Acton after a neat cutback from substitute Awer Mabil was little consolation to the side which has now gone eight matches without a win.

But the match ended on a sour note for the Reds when Malik had claims for a penalty but referee Peter O'Leary didn't flinch before booking Cirio for protesting.

Adelaide coach Josep Gombau, however, dropped a selection bombshell when he axed stopper Nigel Boogaard from the match day squad and handed Bruce Djite his first season start.

Boogaard was replaced by McKain while Djite won the striker's role over Jeronimo Neumann who was benched.

But it only took seven minutes before Adelaide was rewarded when Malik bagged his second goal of the season after a Marcelo Carrusca corner targeted Acton's nerve.

Playing just his second match for Roar in place of injured regular keeper Michael Theo (shoulder), Acton failed to deal with the set piece played to the near post before Malik nodded the rebound home from 5m.

But with both sides playing a high line and the pressing game in the first half, at times there was less than 20m between stoppers in an intriguing battle.

Adelaide won the first half possession stakes - just- when the Reds had 51 per cent of the ball.

With Carrusca running rampant Adelaide came undone when a poor piece of defensive work from a throw in allowed Roar back in the game when Elrich crudely fouled teenage left back Corey Brown inside the box.

Bruce Djite of Adelaide reacts after narrowly missing for the Reds. Source: Getty Images

Berisha made no mistake from the spot kick sending Reds skipper Eugene Galekovic the wrong way.

Adelaide, however, attempted to bounce back again through a Carrusca corner when the slinky Argentine spotted the weakness in the heart of Roar's defence before Malik failed to get a free header on target in the 23rd minute.

Steven Lustica - six minutes later - fashioned a neat opportunity for Cirio but after the Spaniard rounded Jack Hingert he failed to hit the target with a 15m effort.

Djite then created an opening when Roar didn't clear their lines before Fabio Ferreira couldn't believe his luck when the ball bounced his way but his 10m shot was brilliantly parried around the post by Acton seven minutes before the break.

The second half started scrappily but it was Roar's Broich and Berisha's work ethic which turned the tide for the away side.

The pair's relentless hard working attitude ensured Roar had the ball mostly in Adelaide's half.

And when Roar introduced former Manchester United and Celtic midfielder Liam Miller for Henrique in the 57th minute Brisbane started dominating as the Irishman's presence allowed Broich and Berisha room to operate.

When Djite ended his shift for Neumann in the 63rd minute Adelaide had a fresh ace up its sleeve which almost paid dividends in the 71st minute but the Argentine's 15m volleyed was well parried by Acton in full flight.

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