Sydney: Besart Berisha scored a late winner to put Brisbane Roar seven points clear at the top of Australia`s A-League on Sunday.
The Albanian striker netted in the 90th-minute to deliver Roar a 2-1 come-from-behind win over reigning champions Central Coast Mariners.
Mariners` Mile Sterjovski won and converted a first half penalty before the home side equalised through Brazilian substitute Henrique as a prelude to Berisha`s late goal.
Western Sydney Wanderers lost ground on the competition leaders when Newcastle Jets snatched a dramatic a 2-2 draw in Newcastle.
Adam Taggart`s goal at the death snared a point for the Jets after he had put the home side in front with a long-range effort in the first half.
Goals from Aaron Mooy and skipper Michael Beauchamp put Wanderers in front before Taggart`s late intervention.
Costa Rican duo Carlos Hernandez and Kenny Cunningham returned from international duty with telling effect as Wellington Phoenix beat Adelaide United 2-1 in Auckland.
Hernandez scored from the spot and created the other nearing halftime for Cunningham. Substitute Awer Mabil scored a late consolation for the Reds.
Perth Glory`s French international William Gallas suffered yet another injury scare in Friday`s 1-1 draw with Melbourne Victory in Perth.
Gallas, who missed seven games earlier in the season with a calf injury, was substituted in the 84th minute after injuring his left leg in a heavy fall.
Although Victory managed to end their run of consecutive 5-0 defeats, they still appeared to be in a form slump during the 1-1 stalemate.
Melbourne Heart won their first home game under new ownership 2-1 against Sydney FC.
Dutchman Orlando Engelaar`s red card after half an hour was quickly followed by Corey Gameiro`s opener for Sydney.
But Heart came out from the halftime break with an equaliser through Argentine Jonatan Germano and sealed the win through substitute David Williams` breakaway.
AFP
First Published: Sunday, February 2, 2014, 18:02
