A LATE goal to Costa Rican Jean Carlos Solorzano let Brisbane Roar escape with a 1-1 draw against Newcastle Jets in an entertaining Hyundai A-League clash.
Newcastle dominated proceedings from the outset, with Roar goalkeeper Michael Theoklitos keeping his side in the match during a first-half that saw the Jets pepper Brisbane's goal.
Newcastle deservedly took the lead via a Ben Kantarovski header in the 53rd minute before Roar went close when Mitch Nichols hit the post on the hour mark.
Brisbane eventually levelled when Solorzano benefitted from a Ivan Franjic break down the right wing. Newcastle almost grabbed a late winner via Ruben Zadkovich but in the end the teams shared the spoils.
The Jets came out of the blocks firing with early chances to Marko Jesic, Francis Jeffers and Ljubo Milicevic before Kantarovski forced a great save from Theoklitos with a lovely curling shot form just inside the area.
Roar were limited to a couple of chances in the first half, with Reinaldo firing the best of them into the arms of Ben Kennedy in the 21st minute before Kantarovski almost put the ball into his own net from a dangerous Thomas Broich free-kick.
Newcastle took the lead eight minutes after the break via a set piece. Consecutive corners kept Roar under pressure and on the second occasion Wehrman delivered a good ball to the near post where Kantarovski got in front of Ivan Franjic to head home his first goal for the club.
The goal seemed to create some urgency in the Brisbane side and they pressed hard in attack and went within a whisker of levelling the match. The Jets defence cleared a Broich corner but only as far as Mitch Nichols who fired a low shot that beat Kennedy only to crash into the post before Tarek Elrich swatted the ball to safety.
Brisbane never gave up and duly levelled the match in the 80th minute. Franjic got away down the right flank before sending in a lovely cross for substitute striker Solorzano to tap in the equaliser.
Newcastle went close to snatching a late winner when Wehrman delivered a lovely ball for Zadkovich to unleash a vicious right-foot volley from inside the penalty area but it crashed off the near post and away to leave the teams to share the points.
Newcastle Jets 1 (Kantarovski 53)
Brisbane Roar 1 (Solorzano 80)
Crowd: 7829 at EnergyAustralia Stadium
Related Articles

EXCLUSIVE: Brimmer, Rojas headline Auckland A-League swoops

City land marauding Moroccan as Bereneguer opts for Brisbane
