Soccer-Roar whimper after home loss to Adelaide in A-League opener

Reuters

By Ian Ransom MELBOURNE, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Reigning A-League champions Brisbane Roar were "hard done by" in their season-opening home loss to Adelaide United on Sunday after their Brazilian winger Henrique was denied a penalty in stoppage time, coach Mike Mulvey said. The diminutive Henrique was met by a heavy challenge from Tarek Elrich in the area but referee Ben Williams saw nothing in it and Roar slumped to an upset 2-1 loss after being reduced to 10 men for the last 20 minutes. "I was surprised we didn't get a penalty for that," Mulvey told reporters. "If that was a tackle anywhere else on the field it's a foul. "We are not about excuses but there are laws that we play within and I thought we were hard done by." The finish left a bitter taste in Mulvey's mouth after a disastrous match in which former Socceroos defender Matt McKay was sent off for the first time in the competition for dissent after teeing off at referee Williams. That followed a second-half own goal by Roar's James Donachie which handed the visitors a 2-1 lead after Adelaide's Bruce Djite found the net before the interval with a blistering left-foot shot. Adelaide's win put them second in the table behind Melbourne Victory, who poached dangerous Albanian striker Besart Berisha from Roar in the off-season and enjoyed a 4-1 trouncing of Western Sydney Wanderers at home. It was the Wanderers' worst loss since joining the league in 2012 and came as a big shock after they entered the competition in rampaging form, having recently booked their place in the Asian Champions League final. New Zealand side Wellington Phoenix, who finished last year second-bottom in the 10-team competition, gave their fans little cause for optimism after slumping to an error-marred 2-1 loss at home to Perth Glory. Glory are level on points and goal difference with second-placed Adelaide, with 2012-13 champions Central Coast Mariners fourth after a 1-0 win over Newcastle Jets at home on Saturday. (Editing by Peter Rutherford)