Soccer: Opening round starts with a roar

Ricki Herbert. Photo / NZ Herald

It was far from the goalfest many were predicting but the opening round of the new A-League season showed the action should not be long in coming.

Three games were won by the odd goal and the other two drawn as defending champions Brisbane Roar showed they will again be the team to beat.

They stretched their unbeaten run to 29 matches in getting home 1-0 over Central Coast Mariners in a replay of last season's grand final.

Mitch Nichols' 72nd minute goal was enough to send the fans at Suncorp Stadium home happy.

"Brisbane were the better side - we have to be honest. They moved the ball around quicker and better," said Central Coast coach Graham Arnold. Having lost just once last season, the Roar were charged with the task of proving their off-season recruitment had adequately covered the loss of instrumental skipper Matt McKay and goal-sharks Kosta Barbarouses and Jean Carlos Solorzano.

"I was really pleased with the boys. Right from the first minute we played our football," said coach Ange Postecoglou. "Overall, I really couldn't ask for anything more. This is our benchmark and it's not a bad place to start from."

The match of the round, between Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC, ended scoreless at Etihad Stadium.

The goalkeepers, Victory's Ante Covic (a late injury replacement for Tando Velaphi) and Liam Reddy, stole the show with some outstanding saves while former Wellington Phoenix midfielder Marco Rojas was a standout for Melbourne for whom Socceroo Harry Kewell played the 90 minutes.

Newcastle Jets overcame the shock midweek sacking of coach Branko Culina to get up 3-2 over Melbourne Heart at Ausgrid Stadium with All White Jeremy Brockie instigating the move that led to Byun Sung-Hwan's injury-time winner.

Ricki Herbert's injury-hit Phoenix have a week to recover from their bruising 1-1 draw with Gold Coast United before they meet the Jets at Westpac Stadium on Sunday.

With an already thin squad, Herbert must work quickly to get together a team for the game as he attempts to build on what was an encouraging first-up showing at Skilled Park.

In Sunday's late game, much-touted Perth Glory needed a 76th minute Billy Mehmet header, from a cross from substitute Tommy Amphelett, to beat a much rearranged Adelaide United 1-0 at nib Stadium.

Earlier, Travis Dodd and Shane Smeltz, among a host of newcomers at Glory, had great chances to open the scoring.

Fortunate to be level at halftime, the break gave Adelaide coach Rini Coolen a chance to regroup, and in the second half United were not without their opportunities, however they could not break through.

The feature second round clash will be in Sydney when Sydney FC host Brisbane.