Dehmie nets hat-trick as Roar march into FFA Cup Quarter Finals for first time
Brisbane Roar are through the FFA Cup Quarter Finals for the first time in club history after cruising to a 4-0 win over Lions FC in their Brisbane Derby.
Played in stifling heat and humidity, the Roar’s full-time fitness proved decisive against their semi-pro opponents at Lions Stadium – leading for all but the first five minutes of the Round of 16 contest.
Youngster Cyrus Dehmie was the star for Warren Moon's side, delivering a second-half hat-trick to put paid to hopes of a Lions' fightback in front of their 2,465 strong home crowd.
The speedy 19-year-old's haul left the Lions backline with an unwanted sense of deja vu as he was thrice released in behind the hosts' lines before converting a treble of composed finishes past Lions keeper Luke Borean.
Promoted to the Roar senior side on the back of an impressive National Premier Leagues campaign, the 19-year-old struck in the 50th, 78th and 84th minute to seal his side's advance.
Earlier, the young attacker was also crucial to the opening goal, winning a penalty that was converted by fullback Corey Brown in the sixth minute.
The Lions steadied the ship in response - and had chances to spring an equaliser in the first-half - but ultimately ran out of puff in the 30 degree plus conditions as they exited the competition at the Round of 16 stage for the third time.
In contrast, the result marks relatively rarefied air for the Roar as they now join the competition's final eight - becoming just the third Queensland club to do so in FFA Cup history after Gold Coast City (2016) and Brisbane Strikers (2019).
KEY MOMENTS
6' | Goal Roar - Corey Brown opens the scoring with a composed penalty strike after Roar are sent to the spot when Cyrus Dehmie is clipped in the box by Lions defender Tommy Jarrard.
19' | Chance Lions - Swift passing opens up the Roar defence as Shaun Carlos feeds Alex Fiechtner in the box and flashes a shot across the face of goal.
21' | Chance Roar - Brown gets a sight on goal on the right hand side of the box from a corner kick but sends his strike wide of the target.
28' | Chance Roar - Rahmat Akbari's through-ball releases Nikola Mileusnic in behind for a potential one-on-one with Lions gloveman Luke Borean but a scrambling Jarrard backtracks smartly to block the shot.
35' | Chance Roar - Tom Aldred powers a header at goal from a corner to force a sharp reaction stop from Borean. Steinmann looks to drive the ball home on the follow up but the strike goes wide.
37' | Chance Roar - Borean is called into action again in the Lions goal as he parries a strike from Mileusnic before denying Dehmie's second-bite of the cherry at close range.
48' | Chance Lions - The hosts show early intent following the restart as Joe Duckworth lines up a vicious volley from the top of the box that only just flashes wide of the post.
50' | Goal Roar - Dehmie springs the Lions back line with a well-timed run. He dribbles strongly into the box before slotting a composed finish past Borean.
63' | Chance Roar - Scott Neville gets a sight on goal from distance and comes close to furthering the lead as he watches his strike fizz just wide of the target.
67' | Chance Roar - Substitute Alex Parson looks to make an immediate impact and forces a solid save from Borean with an angled strike.
78' | Goal Roar - Dehmie is released in behind once again from an early ball from Joshua Brindell-South and wraps up his brace with a cheeky dinked finish over the onrushing Borean.
84' | Goal Roar - Dehmie wraps up his hat-trick after latching on to Jay O'Shea's through-ball and tucking away another composed finish.
85' | Chance Lions - Jordan Farina goes in search of consolation for the hosts late on but his strike from range doesn't trouble Macklin Freke in the Roar goal.
MATCH DETAILS
FFA Cup 2021 - Round of 16: Lions FC v Brisbane Roar
Lions Stadium, Richlands
Sunday, 24 October 2021
Lions FC - 0
Brisbane Roar - 4 (Corey BROWN 6' pen, Cyrus DEHMIE 50' 78' 84')
