FFA Cup wrap: Brisbane Roar coast into last 16

Thomas Broich

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Stirling Lions 0
Brisbane Roar 4 (Henrique 31', Brown 55', Smith 63', Solorzano 68')

After a tight opening to the game, Roar took the lead on 31 minutes, Henrique scoring from a bicycle kick after the Lions defence had done well to clear a goal-bound header off the line.

Despite more than holding their own against the Hyundai A-League champions throughout the first half, Stirling's hopes of mounting a comeback suffered a major blow when Corey Brown hit the back of the net in the 55th minute.

And Mike Mulvey's men put the game beyond doubt just past the hour mark, Thomas Broich picking out Matt Smith for the skipper to head his team into a 3-0 lead. 

Jean Carlos Solorzano got in on the action on 68 minutes, tucking home Dimitri Petratos' free-kick from close range to give the Hyundai A-League champions a comfortable victory.

Hakoah Sydney City 1 (Owusu 68')
Palm Beach Sharks 2 (Dragicevic 2', Rees 17')

Palm Beach Sharks booked their place in the Westfield FFA Cup round of 16 after holding off Hakoah Sydney City to win 2-1 at a chilly Hensley Athletic Field on Tuesday night.

The NPL Queensland visitors led as early as the second minute courtesy of a clinical finish inside the area from Daniel Dragicevic.

They doubled their advantage 15 minutes later, former Hyundai A-League player Kristian Rees meeting a Chris Lucas corner to power a header beyond Daniel Conway in the Hakoah goal.

Nik Mirkovic went close to making it 3-0 just past the hour mark, Conway getting down well at the back post to deny the substitute.

The hosts pulled one back against the run of play in the 68th minute, former Adelaide United player Lloyd Owusu capping off a fast counter-attack by converting Neil Jablonski's pinpoint cross to the back post.

Lucas should have restored the Sharks' two-goal buffer when played through one on one with four minutes to go, but fired high over the bar after getting around the on-rushing goalkeeper.

Hakoah almost made him pay for the miss, Owusu and then Gavin Macpherson snatching at half chances inside the area in the 90th minute.

But there was no way through for the NSW State League Division 1 side, with the Sharks joining Hyundai A-League heavyweights and giant-killers in the draw for the next round as Queensland’s impressive run in this Cup competition continued. 

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