Bobo on target as Sydney draw with Roar

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:09 am

Brazilian veteran Bobo's first A-League goal in three years earned Sydney FC a point in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Brisbane Roar.

Trailing after an Andrew Redmayne howler had gifted the Roar a first-half opener to Dylan Wenzel-Halls at Moreton Daily Stadium, the 36-year-old came off the bench in the second-half to score the first goal of his second stint at the Sky Blues.

The draw means the back-to-back champions avoid three straight defeats for the first time since 2013 but leaves Steve Corica's team without a win in four matches.

The Roar are also now winless in five, with their last victory their 5-2 thrashing of Melbourne Victory on Feb. 6.

That was also the last match Wenzel-Halls had found the back of the net but his scoring drought came to an end in the 19th minute thanks to a gift from Sydney goalkeeper Redmayne, who allowed a speculative effort from the Roar forward to squirm through his hands and into the net.

Sydney forward Kosta Barbarouses was guilty of missing Sydney's best chance of the half when he was played clear into the box by an Anthony Caceres pass but the New Zealand international's tame effort was straight at Roar goalkeeper Jamie Young.

Young striker Patrick Wood forced Young into a much more difficult save at the end of the half but the Roar custodian, who was arguably Brisbane's player of the match with several key stops, got down well to his right to palm the ball past the far post.

Both Wood and Barbarouses were subbed off at the break for Bobo and Jordan Swibel and the double-change paid off in the 71st minute when the Brazilian pounced on a Joel King cross at the back post to nod home.

The Roar made a double-change of their own late in the half with Joey Champness and Jesse Daley coming on and it was Champness who nearly snatched a win for the hosts late.

The on-loan forward fired over after pinching the ball off Luke Brattan in the 83rd minute and just a minute later fired in a cross which Japanese youngster Riku Danzaki headed onto the crossbar.

That was as close as either team came to a winner.

Sydney return to NSW to host Western United on Wednesday, with the Roar travelling to Melbourne to face the same opponents on March 14.