Western United drop Brisbane match up

A WONDER strike by Brisbane forward Jay O’Shea has secured a 1-0 win over Western United in Redcliffe to keep alive the home side’s A-League Men finals hopes.

O’Shea, the Roar’s leading goal scorer this season with six, unleashed from the edge of the box in the 81st minute to give his team a deserved win and take them to 23 points and in striking distance of the top six.

“He is an absolute God of football,” Roar forward Jez Lofthouse said after the game.

“That man is ridiculously good and so underrated. Whenever we need something he is there to dig us out.”

The John Aloisi-coached Western United are still in the finals hunt and just outside the top six, but Brisbane were the better side.

The visitors were behind the Roar on the ladder a month ago but three consecutive wins had taken them into finals contention.

Aloisi recently signed a two-year deal with the club which coincided with the team’s winning streak, but they failed to fire on Saturday in stifling heat.

“Unfortunately we didn’t play well enough today,” Western United forward Lachlan Wales said.

“I’m not sure what was wrong there but we didn’t move the ball quick enough or create enough chances.”

The match had its controversial moments.

On the 30-minute mark Western United defender Ben Garuccio appeared to handle the ball in the box, stopping a shot on goal by the Roar’s Rahmat Akbari.

The VAR decision was that Garuccio had not moved his arm away from its natural position, leaving Brisbane players furious.

Serbian import Stefan Scepovic found the back of the net for the hosts in the first half but was ruled offside after smart work from Lofthouse in the lead-up.

Lofthouse also had a shot of his own brilliantly saved by Jamie Young.

The Roar had four shots on goal in the opening stanza and the only save Roar goalkeeper Jordan Holmes had to make was when Akbari accidentally headed in his direction.

An outstretched Young arm saved what should have been a goal for Scepovic straight after the break.

Forward Lofthouse then found the net in the 65th but was ruled marginally offside.

“Obviously we were a bit disappointed with some of the decisions but we won the game and we are very happy to grind out a win,” Lofthouse said.

– BY JOEL GOULD/ AAP